What if creativity weren’t something you had to be “good” at — but something you simply made time to explore? That’s the idea behind the inaugural Memphis Creativity Fest, taking place Saturday, October 17th, at Cossitt Library.
Hosted by Memphis creative-community organization Like Really Creative in collaboration with the Memphis Public Library, the noon-to-3 p.m. festival is part of Like Really Creative’s CHARGED UP Creative Wellness Gathering series. The event is also part of Memphis’ inaugural Creativity Month, celebrated throughout October.
“Creativity is for Every Body” is the festival’s tagline, and founder Zack Orsborn wants attendees to take it literally. A former journalist who also writes fiction, Orsborn created the festival to bring Memphis’ many creative disciplines together while encouraging people to see creativity as part of their everyday well-being. “Creative wellness is inspiring people to internalize that everyone is creative, and that it is not a luxury but central to our health,” Orsborn says.
Visitors can contribute to a community poem led by Memphis Poet Laureate Bria Saulsberry, add to a collaborative collage with Memphis artist Mary Jo Karimnia, try Creative Embodiment Yoga with Stephanie Gonzalez, or bring clothing to Cari’s Closet’s upcycling station. Something 2 Chew On, led by Meghan Tsitsuashvili, will offer mini art-play stations designed to encourage experimentation and laughter.
The festival will also feature local art vendors, a collaborative playlist, and food and drinks from Wapos, Sabadito Café, and Comeback Coffee.
For Orsborn, the goal isn’t to leave with a perfect finished product. It’s to make something, play, connect, and perhaps discover a new creative outlet along the way. “I try to create spaces where the creative process is highlighted rather than saying, ‘I need to have a finished product,’” he says.
That makes Cossitt Library a fitting home for the festival. Orsborn credits libraries with providing him with a safe place to be creative while growing up in Mississippi, and he sees Memphis’ libraries as natural gathering places for experimentation and community.
Whether you’re a longtime artist or someone who hasn’t made anything since elementary school, no skills are required. Come curious, try something new, and leave — Orsborn hopes — feeling a little more energized, alive, and willing to create.
MEMPHIS CREATIVITY FEST 2026, COSSITT LIBRARY, 33 S. FRONT. ST., SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17, NOON-3 P.M.
