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Is it a Camp?

Well…. no.. Camp Creative is our name but it isn’t a camp as such….

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Camp Creative was founded by Bill Lockley, with the first ever event being in 1987, with a modest attendance of 168 people!

We have come a long way since then, and are very excited to be celebrating our 40th anniversary in 2026. Camp Creative now welcomes over 1000 people every year.

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Camp Creative is a week-long celebration of creativity, arts, family and friendship, with over 80 courses on offer every year.

The event is held in the second week of January each year, with the new course program generally being announced around 1st June.

While back in the old-days we were able to offer camping onsite, that hasn’t been possible for a long time. Students need to arrange their own accommodation in and around Bellingen.

Whether you're passionate about dance, woodworking, art, sewing, beekeeping, or photography, we have something for everyone.

At Camp Creative, you'll have the opportunity to make new friends, learn new skills, and participate in exciting evening events throughout the week. Our friendly and supportive atmosphere ensures that everyone feels welcome and encouraged to explore their creativity.

Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to unleash your imagination and discover new talents. Join us at Camp Creative and embark on a journey of self-discovery and artistic growth. Get ready for a week filled with inspiration, creativity, and endless possibilities!

Camp Creative - Where Creativity Comes to Life!

Fun Facts

1000

The average amount of students that attend Camp Creative each year

75%

The amount of students that are not from the local area

75%

The amount of students that are adults

35%

The amount of students that have come to Camp Creative 5 times or more

How does it work?

If you’re not from the local area, you need to start by finding accommodation in or around Bellingen.

Before you book accommodation, please make use of Google Maps to ensure you can get to the venue depending on whether you will have access to a car or not. There are a few taxis available in Bellingen, but we don’t have a regular public transport system.

If you aren’t staying in Bellingen, you will need access to your own car.

Once your accommodation is sorted out then comes the exciting part.. choosing your course!

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Three people, two women and a boy, are sitting and standing with drums in a room with green walls and framed pictures. The woman on the right is holding a small drum, the woman in the middle has dreadlocks and is sitting in front of a drum, and the boy in the middle is sitting on a large drum holding drumsticks. Other people are in the background.

You can choose one of over ninety courses across a range of mediums. If you choose a half, two or three day course, you could do two courses for the week. If you would rather do a full day course, you will only do that one course for the whole week.

Courses are all located in central Bellingen, with our main venue being Bellingen High School. We also use St Mary’s Primary School and almost every other hireable venue in town.

Over the week, you’ll work with your tutor and fellow students to learn and create art, performance or handcrafted works.

You’ll benefit from practical demonstrations, quality teaching and feedback from experienced tutors dedicated to their practice.

Camp Creative is also more than just class time. Be entertained and socialise at events, concerts and creative gatherings in the evenings and discover the talents of your tutors and fellow Campers.

What experience do I need?

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Our tutors design their courses to suit a certain level of skill and experience.

All courses are different, so ensure you check the skill level on each course page.

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Beginner
Suited to those who are new to the course area or may have little or no experience.

Everyone
Suitable for a range of experience and skill. Tutors understand that there will be varying skill levels and will adapt to the needs and interests of all students.

Intermediate
Suited to those who have some experience, but are looking to learn new techniques and explore more complex projects.

Advanced 
Suited to those who have been practising in this area for an extended period of time and are confident with techniques and self-directed projects.

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What are the course formats?

Camp Creative runs from Monday 12th until Friday 16th January, 2026

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There is an allocated lunch break each day from midday until 1pm

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Morning & afternoon tea breaks are at the tutor’s discretion

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Five-day courses - Start at 9.00 am and finish at 4.00 pm - Monday to Friday

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Three-day courses - Start at 9.00 am and finish at 4.00 pm - Monday to Wednesday

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Two-day courses - Start at 9.00 am and finish at 4.00 pm - Thursday to Friday

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Half-day morning courses - Start at 9.00 am and finish at 12.00 pm - Monday to Friday

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Half-day afternoon courses - Start at 1.00 pm and finish at 4.00 pm - Monday to Friday

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So many options!

Choose a five-day course if you want to focus on one thing for the whole week..

or if you want to do more than one course you can select one of the other formats.

All courses have their own set format and can’t be changed. See individual course pages to find out which format it is in.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE: If you are doing two half-day courses for the week and they are at different venues, it is up to you to get yourself between venues during the lunch break.

Distance between most venues is walkable, but it can be very hot in January. So please ensure you have made plans to get between venues if this applies to you.

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Who are the tutors and how are they chosen?

All of our tutors are practising artists, performers and craftspeople, as well as, experts in their genre and medium.

Some tutors are from the local area, others travel from as far away as Tasmania!

All tutors are required to submit extensive course proposals. Proposals are then discussed by the Camp Creative committee, so we can then make informed decisions about who our next tutors will be.

For quality tuition, class sizes are around 12-15 students, and larger classes have assistants to provide additional support.

Learn more about tutors in the bio on each course page.

What is there for kids & teens?

While it is a common misconception that Camp Creative is just for adults, over 20% of our course program is suitable for kids. Just over 70% is for adults (aged 18+). Every year our kids course offerings expand.

We have a great range of courses for kids and teens from age 5 to 17 years.

Each course listing specifies an age range, which reflects the maturity and skills required to participate in the course.

When booking your young person, you need to ensure they will be the required age at the time of Camp Creative. Age info can be found on each course page.

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What does it cost?

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Camp Creative fees include courses run by top-quality tutors, access to equipped workshops and venues, as well as entry to Camp events.

While we have done our best to keep our prices attainable for our valued customers, we were unable unable to avoid price rises in 2025. Our prices are comparative with other similar workshops in the market, in a lot of instances we are actually cheaper!

Plus we offer a unique and social experience that other workshops do not. Bear in mind that your tuition fee covers a full week of learning as well as free entry to evening events.

Some courses do have additional material and course requirements. This could include you providing your own materials, or paying your tutor an additional materials fee. All extra tutor fees are detailed on each course page under ‘Materials & Equipment’. For more info on ticket pricing, click the button below.

Camp Creative is a non-profit organisation, so the price you pay for your ticket goes towards paying our tutors first and foremost. The rest pays the Event Coordinator as well as venue hire, insurance, everything needed to run our website and ticketing systems, event costs (sound, lighting etc) and so much more. After each event, we hope to have enough left to donate to worthy causes around Bellingen, such as the Bellingen Youth Orchestra.

We are fully self-funded and do not receive any regular external funding, but do occasionally apply for grants.

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What else is there to do during the week?

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Your ticket price includes entry into all of our evening events during the week.

TUESDAY - Best of Bellingen Concert
This event is held at Bellingen High School and features many talented local musicians and singers.

WEDNESDAY - Open Mic Night
This event is held at the local Golf Club. A fun opportunity to get up on stage and showcase your talents.

THURSDAY - Party in the Park
This event is held at a park in front of the local library and is open to the public. Join your fellow students and hundreds of locals and enjoy watching the entertainment. Have dinner while you’re there from one of the many food trucks onsite.

FRIDAY - Kids Showcase & Grand Finale
These final day events are an opportunity to see what the other students have been working on. The perfect end to your week at Camp Creative!