Hello! My name is Adam and I need to become an artist. Just to clarify, I don’t dream to become an artist, I do not aspire to become one, I simply NEED to. Like a life-and-death need! For real! 🙂
Unfortunately, I am too old (and busy) to enroll in a traditional art school, so online courses and relentless practice (when I’m not occupied or tending my kid) are my only true salvation. But practicing alone gets stale pretty fast… even when you have clear goals and a progression plan, sometimes you just end up sitting still and staring at the screen while feeling like a complete loonie in this world. It is not a fun feeling.
This is how I discovered the concept of Drink and Draw – it’s all about a bunch of strangers with a shared desire to scribble on paper (or tablet) gathering together and… drawing in peace. Some people visit such events to connect with others and find like-minded friends; others (like me 90% of the time) just want to come alone, sketch in silence, and leave on their own terms without saying a word.
The most important thing that makes this setting different from just casually taking a seat in a random cafe is the comforting sense of community. You may be completely anonymous and surrounded by strangers, but you know that these people share something deeply common with you. It’s a very powerful feeling, especially in our day and age when many of us become increasingly isolated between their job, home, and phone.
To my surprise, finding such an opportunity in Stockholm turned out to be harder than expected! A simple search on Google gave me many results… but 50% of them were just one single event at the Moderna Museet! To be honest, what they have organized there is a very cozy and cool thing, but it happens only once a month and lasts for merely two hours before the museum closes.
Other opportunities to drink and draw in Stockholm ranged from infrequent, hard-to-discover events organized by diverse small cultural organizations, to pretty costly timed experiences hosted in prominent hotels and galleries. The latter felt more like an entertaining tourist attraction for normies than something really art-related, which is a shame.
Surprisingly, I have managed to find a real “luxury problem” that has not been solved yet!
Drink and Draw Stockholm is a pretty simple win-win solution to two problems:
Many small businesses like independent cafes and restaurants frequently experience “empty” periods without visitors. And you know how it is – empty venue = dead venue.
On the other side, people like me need a place where they can casually gather and scribble on paper while being surrounded by a community of like-minded peers… for a minimum of social and financial cost.
So, why not just make a website that lists frequent events at independent venues that are willing to open their doors to artists?
And this is where you have landed right now! This site is really nothing more than a list of opportunities to meet up and draw along other art enthusiasts while being surrounded by safe and inclusive environment.
This is it. No commitments, no bookings, no cancellations, no upfront costs, no mailing lists, no apps. Just a very simple online space to connect independent cafes with the local community of artists and art enjoyers.
If you find this idea interesting, just check the event schedule and I’ll see you there! If you have questions or suggestions, feel free to reach out to me through the contact page. I’ll be happy to chat!
Q: How much does it cost?
A: A price of a single juice, pastry or coffee, really! So expect to pay 15-55 SEK (2-6 EUR) directly to the venue owner. Organizer takes NO commission for these events.
Q: But really, who pays for this website and to the organizers?
A: Organizer (me, Adam) works for free in this regard, but gains much more than money can buy – a community of people to scribble together with! It’s more then enough for me!
Q: Are drawing supplies provided on site?
A: No. You have to bring your own pen and paper or tablet.Â
Q: If I have no idea where to start and what to draw, can I still come?
A: Sure! There will be no dedicated tutor to guide you, but you can peek at what others do and find some inspiration in that!
Q: Why is the event held at a new venue almost every time?
A: Support of independent venues and small businesses is a huge part of the mission. To make every single one of them happy, participants will be rotated through different spots at first. When critical mass of attendance is reached, the schedule will begin to feature multiple events running back-to-back or in parallel. The long-term goal is a schedule where artists can find a Drink and Draw event on demand almost 24/7.
Q: Why is there no mailing list or Facebook events for Drink and Draw Stockholm?
A: Anonymity and privacy are worth more then gold these days. Let’s keep these events as low on digital footprint as possible! There may be some social promotion through Instagram though, but again PRIVACY of participants is a no-negotiable value.
Q: I’m single! Is Drink and Draw Stockholm the right opportunity for me?
A: The best relationships begin from a shared passion! However, these events are meant to provide a safe, inclusive space for everyone. If you are more interested in practicing your pickup lines than actually drawing, a public library will be a much better choice. Intrusive or inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated and leads to a permanent ban.
Q: I want to come, but I’m afraid of strangers!
A: Any bad actors will be promptly identified and warned by the organizer, escorted out by the venue personnel, and blacklisted. The blacklist is enforced in collaboration with venue owners to keep our spaces safe and comfortable.
Q: I love this idea! How can I help?
A: Having multiple reliable collaborators and partners means many more meetup opportunities, and potentially even some themed events like art lectures or croquis sessions! Don’t be shy to contact Adam with your questions and suggestions!
Don’t shy to drop me a DM on Instagram! More contact options are coming soon!
