ABOUT | Nowing Collective

WHAT IS NOWING COLLECTIVE?

Nowing Collective is a small creative studio based in Poblenou, Barcelona, designed to dedicate time to explore, create, learn and experiment - across different creative mediums, from art, music and writing to ideas and culture. Whether you have creative ambitions, a project you want to pursue, or simply want to make more room for creative exploration in your week, Nowing Collective gives you a place to do it. You don't need to be an artist or have a finished idea. Come with a project, a curiosity, or simply the desire to spend some time making and exploring. Just as we dedicate slots in our week to the gym, a yoga studio or a language class, Nowing Collective offers a space to dedicate time to your creative practice. Creative projects and interests are often pursued on our own, or in environments that aren’t really designed to support our exploration. Nowing gives you that dedicated space, alongside resources, materials and references to explore your interests, along with a community of other people doing the same. Our sessions are self-directed, so you can either bring your own projects and ideas, or use our resources and Project Starters to try something new. It’s a space dedicated to carving out time in your routine for creative exploration - a dedicated slot in your week to make, experiment, think, learn and and follow your curiosity and creativity.

HOW NOWING SESSIONS WORK

Each Nowing Session is limited to 10 people maximum and is 120 minutes long. The 120 minutes is split into 90 minutes of dedicated creative time, followed by 30 minutes to come together and share what we’ve been working on.

There are two ways to spend your time here:

you can either bring something of your own, or use one of our Project Starters.

1. BRING A PROJECT OR IDEA OF YOUR OWN

Bring a project you’re already working on, an idea you want to develop, something you’ve been putting off, or simply something you want to give some dedicated time and space to. It could be the idea you want to develop, the book you want to make time to properly read, the novel you’ve been writing, a video or a photography project you want to edit, an art-work you want to work on, a track you want to make, the skill you want to learn, or the project you keep putting off.

2. USE A PROJECT STARTER

If you don't have something specific in mind, or you just want to try something different, pick up one of our Project Starters. Our Project Starters are found in folders filled with a selection of original Nowing Collective made prompts with ideas to experiment with, think about, explore and make.

Our Project Starters are organised into three pathways:

MIND — Thinking, writing, journaling, noticing and exploring ideas. Questions, observations, memories, conversations, references and things to think through.

MAKE — drawing, collage, colour, shape, words, cutting, arranging and experimenting with materials. Things to do with your hands.

MUSIC — listening, sound and making music. Playing with rhythm, building sounds, making playlists, experimenting with our small collection of music equipment.

You might spend five minutes on one project and move on to another, or spend weeks or months coming back to the same one. You can, of course, ignore the Project Starters entirely. They’re just there if you want a starting point for creative experimentation.

WHAT TO BRING

Bring whatever you need for the project or idea you want to work on - your laptop, notebook, sketchbook, book, personal materials, headphones, or anything else you like to work with.

You can also turn up with nothing. The studio has a selection of art materials, creative resources, books, references, music equipment and Project Starters to explore, so you can simply arrive and see where the session takes you.

WHAT'S IN THE STUDIO?

The studio has a small selection of simple art supplies to use, including all the basics to get going; pencils, pastels, paper, paints, pens, a selection of collage materials, scissors and more. Nothing fancy - just a range of materials to make and experiment with.

There’s also a small and growing selection of music-making resources, including a small selection of MIDI keyboards and controllers and a DJ practice deck. All of these are to be used and plugged in to your own device and own software (advice and suggestions on useful software are provided if you are a beginner - simply ask us before or even during the session for help with this). Please note: As Nowing is a shared space, all music equipment must be used with headphones to help keep the studio calm and focused for everyone. Please bring your own headphones, as these are not provided.

And there’s also our growing Nowing Collective library - a selection of books, essays, texts and references that you’re free to browse, read, dip into and take notes from.

You can bring your own materials and use them alongside what’s here, or simply explore what we have.

If you have any questions about the materials and resources we have in the studio, simply drop us a message at info@nowingcollective.com.

Unlimited tea and coffee are also included and available throughout your session.

HOW NOWING SESSIONS RUN

Each session is 2 hours long. 90 minutes of dedicated creative time, followed by 30 minutes to come together and share what we’ve been working on.

90 MINUTES - MAKE / EXPLORE / LEARN — Spend the 90 minutes however you like. Work on your own project, try a Project Starter, read through our library, play with the music equipment (with headphones on*), make, create, write, listen, experiment, or move between a few of these. There’s no set order, no time limit (as your project can carry on over a number of weeks, or just be abandoned if you're ready for something new next time), and there is nothing you have to finish.

30 MINUTES - SHARE / DISCUSS — After the 90 minutes, we come back together for the final 30 minutes. This is a chance to talk about what you’ve been working on - something you made, an idea you explored, something you read, something you discovered, or even something you got stuck on. You can share your work, talk through an idea, ask for thoughts, or simply listen to everyone else (sharing is totally optional). You don’t need to have finished anything, and you don’t have to present anything. It’s just a chance to see what other people have been doing, exchange ideas and spend a little time together before you go.

If you start something you want to keep working on in the next session, you can take it home with you or leave it at the studio to pick back up next time.

Come on your own or with a friend - most people will be working on their own projects during the session.

PRICING

€12 per session

Each Nowing Studio Session is 120 minutes.

Your session includes access to the studio, all shared materials and resources, our Project Starters, access to the Nowing Collective library, use of all music equipment, and unlimited tea and coffee.

Book one session at a time, or book ahead for the weeks to come.

You can book a single session whenever you like, or book a block of 4, 8 or 12 sessions if you already know you want to make Nowing part of your routine.

Blocks can be used across upcoming Nowing Sessions, so you can choose which sessions you want to attend. You might use a block to come on a certain day every week, or simply book the sessions that work for you.

There are just 10 places per session, so spaces are first come, first served. If you want to guarantee your place for the weeks ahead, it's a good idea to book a block.

CANCELLATION POLICY

If you need to reschedule your session, please let us know with as much notice as possible. Sessions are limited to 10 people, so giving us notice means we can offer your place to someone else. If you let us know at least 48 hours before your session, we’ll do our best to move your booking to another available session, subject to availability. Bookings missed or cancelled within 48 hours cannot be rescheduled.

DEFINITION OF NOWING

NOWING (noun / verb) Pronunciation: /ˈnaʊ.ɪŋ/ 1. A state of attention. 2. The act of presence. 3. Doing it now, rather than someday.