The Social Sketchery is a monthly creative meet-up run by the artists at The Candle Orchard, created as an open, informal space for people to come together and draw, sketch, and spend time being creative in community.
The idea behind The Social Sketchery is simple. Creativity does not need to be productive, polished, or commercial to be valuable. It can be social, messy, quiet, exploratory, and shared. These sessions are about making space for that kind of creativity, without pressure, hierarchy, or expectation.
Each session is free to attend and open to everyone, whether you are a professional artist, a hobbyist, or someone who has not picked up a pencil in years. You are welcome to bring a sketchbook, loose paper, an iPad, paints, pens, or nothing at all. Some people come to draw, some to doodle, some to chat, and some simply to soak up the atmosphere and be around other creative people. All of that is equally valid.
The Social Sketchery meets once a month, usually on the first Wednesday of the month. When hosted in St Leonards-on-Sea, sessions take place on Thursdays. The meet-up rotates between three much-loved local venues:
Each venue brings its own character to the sessions, from good coffee and cakes to music, views, and a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. Rotating locations allows The Social Sketchery to move through the wider local area, connecting creative communities across Bexhill, St Leonards, and Hastings, and keeping the gatherings accessible to different people month by month.
There is no formal teaching, no critique, and no set outcome. The focus is on process, presence, and connection. People often find that drawing alongside others helps them loosen up, take creative risks, or simply enjoy making marks without overthinking. Conversations flow naturally, ideas are shared, and new connections are made, both creative and social.
The Social Sketchery is intentionally non-commercial. There is no selling, no promotion required, and no pressure to produce finished work. It exists to support creativity as a shared, human practice and to offer a safe, friendly environment where people can show up exactly as they are.
At its heart, The Social Sketchery is about gathering. Gathering around tables, sketchbooks, coffee cups, and ideas. Gathering to draw together, talk shop, sit quietly, or laugh. Gathering to remind ourselves that creativity does not have to be solitary, and that making space for it together can be deeply nourishing.
Everyone is welcome.
