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Creative Playground

FAQs

It's exactly what it sounds like: we bring people from all over the world together in an inspiring place to be creative together. Here, natural curiosity, interaction with others, and our innate sense of play are encouraged to help us find more lightness, joy, and success in life. At a Playground you don't have to "function" or "deliver". Instead, you can focus entirely on creating and enjoying the process.

We tell stories with wonderful people and enjoy nature in ways that move us. There will be making, building, moving, music, along with cooking and sharing delicious meals from local ingredients. It's about a strong and playful connection with your creativity, something that lasts beyond a one-time experience.

Absolutely not.
We reconnect everyone with their creativity through play. We believe that creativity helps all people and communities to thrive. It helps us to face challenges differently, build empathy and stay more resilient - and who doesn't want that, right? So, everyone is welcome. The only thing you should bring is curiosity.
If you're a creative professional feeling stuck or the desire to try out new things, find new sources of inspiration, meet other interesting people, or create without the pressure to deliver outcomes, Creative Playground is right for you.

We keep our groups small and design our gatherings for a maximum of 15 participants. This ensures good group dynamics and allows each individual in our community to thrive. It also enables our Creative Hosts to give participants the attention and time they deserve.

The goal of Creative Playground is not to teach mastery (or any specific kind of technique). We believe everyone is creative, even the ones who think they're not. We ignite your creative spark and give you the freedom to explore what inspires you. A Playground is a place of play, wonder and unexpected insights.
Our belief: Creativity is not about painting or sculpting. It can be sparked by many things: a good conversation, a view over the horizon, cooking a meal, or a hike in nature. That's why Creative Playground combines all these elements for you to enjoy.

It is easy and takes only a few minutes:
First, fill-out our short survey that helps us to getting to know you better.
Second, you book a 30min call with us.
No reason to get nervous! You don’t need to prepare anything: come as you are, be who you are.
We will have time to getting to know each other, answer your most important questions and see if Creative Playground is what you are looking for.
After being accepted, you will receive a secure payment link through which you reserve your spot in the Playground.

We believe everyone is creative. We build experiences that are honest, hands-on, and shaped by the real spirit of the people and places involved.

Curiosity guides how we explore. Play is how we move ideas forward. Thoughtful design ties it all together. And authenticity runs through everything, from how we work with our partners to how we show up for our participants.

The deeper purpose is for something to change. That you leave a Playground more open-minded, more confident, and more connected to your own creative instincts than when you arrived.

You are not alone. Many of our participants never joined a Playground or similar experience. This is why we ensure that everybody has the same starting point. While each participant’s motivation can be different, we gather all for the same reason: to explore, connect, and play. Let curiosity lead the way.If we all keep an open mind and let the program take its course, we are all set for a beautiful experience.

At this point we assume you have already learned a little bit about Creative Playground. We assume you liked what you saw, and want to know which of the Playgrounds is better suited for you? The simple answer would be: All of them.
But here are some guiding questions that help you make up your mind:
Do you like the event location?
Does the region and its local community interest you?
Do the Creative Igniters joining this Playground resonate with you? (Don’t worry, they are all great!)
Do the activities outlined in this Playground make you curious? Do they make you want to start right away: To Explore? Connect? Play?
If your answer is yes, then wait no longer and apply. We can’t wait to meet you!

Every Playground is different. Because every group of people, every event location, and every season is different. Each one offers unique beauty and dynamics.   

We carefully design each Creative Playground experience according to our ACE Flow Cycle™️ framework that offers us the right level of structure to play freely. And we ensure that all aspects that are important to ignite your creative spark are part of every Playground you join.   As you see, you should highly consider coming back again after joining your first Playground – it never gets boring.

Special, curated event locations with unique character and charm, located in beautiful natural surroundings. Comfortable accommodation according to your selected preference.
All workshops, classes, talks, excursions, activities and materials that are part of the program
Our great team of Creative Igniters
All shared meals and accompanying alcoholic beverages during these
All local transportation that is part of the program
Group transfer to the nearest airport or city center on the first and last day
A welcome bag filled with local delicacies and a notebook to gather your thoughts, besides other goodies.
Access to our digital Creative Playground Community

Rest assured that we will take very good care of you. Here are the things you might want to budget for on top of the program fee:
Travel costs: Airfare and any applicable visas.
Insurance: We strongly recommend travel insurance that covers cancellations, medical care abroad, and related risks (We’ll soon offer recommended international insurance options through our trusted partners).
Local transport: Additional transportation outside of scheduled activities and grouplogistics, like getting to and from the airport or town).
Optional experiences: Extra activities, excursions, or special experiences you choose to add.
Personal expenses: Tips, gratuities, shopping, and other personal purchases.
Food and drinks beyond the program: Alcoholic drinks outside our shared meals, special snacks, or extra meals not included in the program.
Accommodation: according to your selected preference. This needs to be booked directly with the venue. We provide special discount codes for successful applicants to unlock special rates. 

Yes. Portugal is a very safe country for solo travelers of all genders.  

A minimum level of fitness is highly recommended. Depending on the location you pick, the physical activities that are included in the programme are sometimes more demanding than others.
Since all our activities are optional and we leave you in charge of your own Playground experience, we still would love to invite you to fully take advantage of the physical activities that we plan.
That said, if you have any accessibility needs or physical considerations, please let us know. We aim to make our Playgrounds as inclusive as possible and are happy to explore options with you so you canparticipatein a way that feels comfortable and supportive. Weare happy to discuss which of our event locations may best suit your needs, as each place and natural setting has its own characteristics.

We love animals as much as you do. But we ask you to please leave your pets at home. Unfortunately, not all our event locations allow pets. Furthermore, our experiences are meant to let you fully immerse yourself in the moment. Taking care of a pet on site could easily pull your attention away. And sometimes that might also affect others in the group.

We keep our groups small and design our gatherings for a maximum of 15 participants. This ensures good group dynamics and allows each individual in our community to thrive. It also enables our Creative Hosts and Igniters to give participants the attention and time they deserve.

The goal of Creative Playground is not to teach mastery (or any specific kind of technique). We believe everyone is creative, even the ones who think they're not. We ignite your creative spark and give you the freedom to explore what inspires you. A Playground is a place of play, wonder and unexpected insights.
Our belief: Creativity is not about painting or sculpting. It can be sparked by many things: a good conversation, a view over the horizon, cooking a meal, or a hike in nature. That's why Creative Playground combines all these elements for you to enjoy.

We’ll explore through playful and hands-on workshops, listen to inspiring talks, share stories and experiences, and enjoy nature in ways that move us. There might be painting, making, building, music, movement, along with cooking delicious meals from local ingredients and more.

Some might be, others are not. Each one of them has a unique approach to creativity that they like to share with you. They know when to push and when to pull – or when to leave you be. It is the mix of disciplines and backgrounds that we carefully assemble to give you just the right amount of guidance and input when you need and ask for it.
Generally, they are just genuinely great people that you want to spend time with.

Yes. Trust and connection are not built in one day or two. Our core team usually consists of one Creative Host and two to three Creative Igniters, depending on the group size. They will be part of your entire Creative Playground journey. And you can stay in touch with them long after returning home (through our community).
Besides the core team, we invite or visit Local Igniters on a regular basis. They set impulses, join or facilitate small workshops and share their knowledge, stories or craft with you.

You are not alone. Many of our participants never joined a Playground or similar experience. This is why we ensure that everybody has the same starting point. While each participant’s motivation can be different, we gather all for the same reason: to explore, connect, and play, to let curiosity lead the way. If we all keep an open mind and let the program take its course, we are all set for a beautiful experience.
Don’t forget you’re not alone. Our Creative Hosts and Igniters are always there to help, answer all your questions, address your doubts, and make you feel included.

Absolutely not. While we welcome applicants who apply with a friend or partner, we encourage participants to come alone so that everyone has the same starting point and is open to connecting with new people they've never met before.

Creative Playground is an invitation into the world. We invite you to become part of an inspiring community comprised of all kinds of characters.
To create a welcoming environment, we carefully select each participant to ensure the right chemistry. If you need private space or time alone to unwind, that's perfectly fine and encouraged. You know best what you need to feel good.
And if you need someone to talk when something doesn't feel right (or feels great!), we are here for you.

Creative Playground is for everyone who is open to explore, connect, and play with others. Our team is here to support your individual questions and needs, and to challenge you individually, in case you feel the need for that. Our Playgrounds are designed to be inclusive and to make sure no one is left behind or feels out of place.
Come with an open mind, stay curious, and enjoy being part of an inspiring group of people who are all here to learn, create, and have a great time together. You’re exactly where you should be.

It is easy and takes only a few minutes:
First, fill-out our short survey that helps us to getting to know you better.
Second, you book a 30min call with us.
No reason to get nervous! You don’t need to prepare anything: come as you are, be who you are.
We will have time to getting to know each other, answer your most important questions and see if Creative Playground is what you are looking for.
After being accepted, you will receive a secure payment link through which you reserve your spot in the Playground experience.

We want to ensure that everyone who joins a Playground has the best possible experience. Because the intimate setting of small groups playing together is all about the people, we carefully select group constellations so that everyone feels included, inspired, and challenged in a way that simply feels good. When you are accepted into a Playground, you can be sure that the same care that went into your application went into each participant’s before joining your group. 

We are interested in the genuine human being who wants to join a Creative Playground experience. We’d like to get to know you on a personal level – after all, we’ll spend quite some time together, so group dynamics and harmony are important.  There are no right or wrong answers in an application. Be real, let us in on your true self, and together we can explore whether Creative Playground is exactly what you are looking for. 

After completing our survey and meeting us in a 30min videocall, we will take our time to evaluate your application. After a successful application, you will secure your event spot by paying your reservation fee and remaining balance according to your chosen payment plan.  
When these formalities are behind us, you will receive all the necessary information about your Creative Playground experience.  
We will send you tips about itineraries, what to pack, weather, the country… everything really to feel well prepared and ready to play. 

We review applications on a rolling basis and will be in touch within a week. If it's a match, you'll receive your personal invitation and a secure payment link for your  reservation fee  that you can pay within 7 days.   

Of course, and the best thing: you don’t have to apply more than once. When applying for a Playground, you will let us know your preferred locations and dates, before booking your 30 min videocall with us. If your application was successful, you can decide which of the Playgrounds you want to join: only one or directly all of them?!  

First of all, it’s always a good idea to subscribe to our newsletter. This is the easiest way to find out about new event locations and dates before others. Some of the Playgrounds might already display “Join the Waitlist”. If you are joining the waitlist, you will also have the possibility to let us know your preferred dates at which you would like to join a Playground. This gives us the possibility to find the biggest possible overlap for new dates, so that we can offer them to as many curious applicants as possible.  

Creativity can sometimes feel challenging or uncomfortable. But that’s normal for everyone.   
We all learned to favor perfect outcomes over experiments and the right answers over better questions. That mindset shift can be hard work. While we invite you to try out as many new things as possible, to play freely, and find what inspires you and brings you joy, our activities are always optional. You don’t feel like it? Rather take a walk or sit in the grass to watch the sunset (oh, we might join you on that one!)? Please do it. Each participant should have the Creative Playground experience they need the most.  

While our careful selection of participants for each group through our application process should take care of this, we can never predict the final group dynamic.   Our team will make sure that everyone participating is heard, seen and feels belonging to the group. If all these measures still don’t work, rest assured that we always have an open ear for your concerns, problems, or feedback when something isn’t going as you had hoped for.   
We are all humans and that means treating each other with the respect, honesty and dignity we deserve. If you want to know more, please check our Playground Rules. 

Once you're accepted, you'll receive a secure payment link. You have 7 days to confirm your spot — after that, it may be passed to the next person on the waitlist. 
 

Payment is in EUR. Flexible payment plans are available upon request and depend on your booking timing.

  • € 500,- reservation fee — due within 7 days of acceptance (We may retain the reservation fee as a reasonable lump-sum cancellation charge)
  • Remaining balance via full payment or installments (confirmed individually after application approval)


The reservation fee covers commitments we make to venues immediately upon your confirmation. 

More than 60 days before
We may retain the reservation fee as a reasonable lump-sum cancellation charge. Any amount paid beyond the reservation fee will be refunded within 14 days, unless a higher amount is justified under the following rows.

31–60 days before We may retain the reservation fee and, in addition, charge 25% of the remaining balance as a reasonable lump-sum cancellation charge, unless the participant proves that no loss or substantially lower loss was incurred.

30 days or fewer before, or no-show
We may retain the reservation fee and charge 100% of the remaining balance, unless the participant proves that no loss or substantially lower loss was incurred.

Emergency / medical case
We will review the case in good faith and may offer rebooking, credit, a reduced cancellation charge, or a refund where appropriate.

Consider transferring your spot instead.
Can't make it? You can pass your spot to someone in your network, as long as they go through our application process and get accepted. A €100 admin fee applies, payable by the transferring participant. It's usually the best outcome for everyone involved. 


We strongly advise securing travel cancellation insurance when confirming your spot. It's a simple way to protect yourself if something unpredictable happens.

We hope we won’t have to cancel, but you never know what unforeseen circumstances might arise. But of course, this means that we will offer a full refund of all your sums paid within 14 days. You can decide if you want to use your paid balance for another Playground, or if you would prefer your money back to the same payment method you used when you booked your experience.   

All of our event locations offer WiFi connectivity. While we won't prohibit you from using your phone, we highly recommend leaving your tech in your room or at home. You won't miss it, we promise! Being fully present during Creative Playground will allow you to get the most out of the experience, and it will also respect the other participants’ choice to disconnect or stay offline for a while. 

Yes, very likely. You’ll share any dietary requirements in your application survey, and we’ll do our best to accommodate your needs. 

You will receive all the necessary details about your trip after your successful application. We offer convenient group transportation on the first and last day of your Creative Playground experience. We will pick you up and leave you at central points near city centers and/or airports, depending on each Playground’s location.   
Should you need more assistance with booking and travel logistics, we are always here to help.

Hold your horses! You will receive all the necessary details about your trip after your successful application. We will include travel tips and recommended itineraries that will answer all these questions. Should you need more assistance with booking and travel logistics, we are always here to help.