Wild Creative is a nonprofit community bringing together photographers, filmmakers, writers, painters, musicians, naturalists, scientists, and storytellers who believe creativity can inspire conservation.
Through immersive gatherings, creative collaborations, environmental education, and hands-on conservation initiatives, we create spaces where people reconnect with the natural world — and with one another.
We believe storytelling has the power to protect wild places.
Whether through photography, film, writing, illustration, research, or simple observation, Wild Creative exists to inspire a deeper relationship with nature and encourage meaningful action for the landscapes and species that need it most.
What We Do
Immersive Creative Gatherings
We host free creative meetups, workshops, and expeditions in some of the world’s most inspiring landscapes — from deserts and mountains to forests, coastlines, and wildlife sanctuaries.
These experiences are designed to foster creativity, connection, ecological awareness, and collaboration between artists, storytellers, and conservation-minded individuals.
Conservation Storytelling
Wild Creative bridges the gap between science and storytelling by helping creatives better understand the natural world while empowering scientists and conservation organizations to share their work through compelling visual media and narrative.
We believe conservation becomes more powerful when people can emotionally connect to it.
Rewilding & Conservation Initiatives
As the organization grows, Wild Creative is expanding into direct conservation support through rewilding collaborations, habitat restoration efforts, environmental education, citizen science, and wildlife-focused nonprofit partnerships around the world.
Our goal is not only to document wild places — but to help protect and restore them.
What to Expect at a Wild Creative Gathering
Hikes & Field Exploration
Explore incredible landscapes alongside fellow creatives and naturalists while immersing yourself in the rhythms of the wild.
Creative Collaboration
Photographers, filmmakers, writers, musicians, painters, scientists, and storytellers of all experience levels come together to share ideas, create projects, and inspire one another.
Naturalist & Conservation Education
Wild Creative gatherings often include discussions surrounding flora, fauna, ecology, conservation challenges, geology, astronomy, Indigenous perspectives, and environmental storytelling.
Community & Connection
These gatherings are built around authenticity, curiosity, creativity, and meaningful human connection. Many attendees arrive not knowing a single person and leave with lifelong friendships and collaborators.
Who Can Attend?
Everyone.
Whether you’re a professional creative, an aspiring storyteller, a scientist, a student, or simply someone who feels deeply connected to nature, Wild Creative is designed to be inclusive and welcoming.
You do not need to be an expert.
You only need curiosity, respect for the natural world, and a willingness to create and connect.
Lodging & Travel
Group campgrounds or meetup locations are coordinated in advance whenever possible
Travel recommendations and logistics are provided prior to each event
Private attendee chats help coordinate rideshares, gear sharing, and planning
Many events are designed to be accessible on a variety of budgets
Group/individual campsites are covered by the organization.
How to Attend
1. RSVP Early
Space is often limited to preserve a meaningful and low-impact experience.
2. Connect With the Community
Participants receive access to group discussions for planning, networking, and collaboration prior to the event.
3. Bring Your Creativity
Whether you create professionally or simply love observing the world around you, Wild Creative is about shared inspiration and passion for wild places.
Free to Attend
Wild Creative gatherings are currently free to attend thanks to volunteers, partnerships, donations, and community support.
As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, donations help us:
Keep events accessible
Support conservation storytelling initiatives
Fund environmental education programs
Assist rewilding and wildlife conservation projects
Provide opportunities for future fellowships and collaborations
Sponsorship & Collaboration
Wild Creative began within the photography and outdoor creative community, and many of our partnerships come from the worlds of photography, film, conservation, science, outdoor recreation, and environmental education.
If your organization is interested in sponsoring an event, collaborating on a conservation initiative, supporting educational programming, or helping inspire the next generation of environmental storytellers, we’d love to connect.
2025 Big Bend Creative Recap
Relive the magic of the first-ever Big Bend Wild Creative Meetup. In Spring of 2025, a deeply passionate group of photographers, filmmakers, writers, and artists gathered in the vast desert of Big Bend for a weekend rooted in creativity, connection, and presence. What unfolded was more than a meetup—it was an emotional, grounding, and genuinely beautiful experience. From quiet sunrise moments to shared stories and collaborative creation, the energy this group brought was powerful and unforgettable.
Next Event
September 25, 2026
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Discover the wild grandeur of Grand Teton National Park at our Wild Creative Meetup — an immersive gathering for photographers, filmmakers, writers, painters, naturalists, and storytellers seeking inspiration beneath some of the most iconic peaks in North America. From alpine sunrises and winding rivers to wildlife encounters and reflective campfire conversations, this experience is designed to foster creativity, connection, and a deeper relationship with the natural world. Join an intentional community of creatives and conservation-minded explorers this September and experience the Tetons through storytelling, adventure, and shared wonder.
In the beginning…
Alan and I first met along a trail in Grand Teton National Park, where a simple gear swap while photographing moose sparked a friendship that would grow over the years. Countless national park adventures, creative collaborations, and hometown visits eventually led us to a realization — we wanted to create a space where like-minded creatives could connect, collaborate, and recharge in nature together.
Parks once felt like gathering grounds for people who revered the wild — places where strangers became friends through shared awe and curiosity. But in today’s world, creativity can often feel consumed by algorithms, competition, constant output, and critique. We wanted to build something different: a community rooted in encouragement, inspiration, exploration, and genuine human connection. A space where people could slow down, create freely, and reconnect not only with their craft, but with the natural world itself.
The very first gathering was called the Wild Teton Summit — a small creative meetup centered around connection, storytelling, photography, and shared experiences in the Tetons. What I didn’t anticipate was just how deeply people would be impacted by those early gatherings. Attendees arrived as strangers and left with friendships, renewed inspiration, and a stronger emotional connection to wild places. The conversations began shifting beyond creativity alone and into deeper discussions surrounding wildlife, ecology, conservation, public lands, natural history, and humanity’s relationship with nature.
After the first few meetups, I found myself asking a bigger question: Can we do more?
That question ultimately led to the creation of Wild Creative.
What started as informal creative gatherings evolved into a much larger vision — using creativity and storytelling not only to inspire people, but to help protect the landscapes and species inspiring us in the first place. The naturalist and advocacy elements became inseparable from the creative experience itself. People didn’t just want to photograph wild places anymore; they wanted to understand them, advocate for them, and contribute to something meaningful.
Today, Wild Creative is officially a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to environmental education, conservation storytelling, creative collaboration, and rewilding initiatives. Through immersive experiences, conservation partnerships, citizen science, storytelling, and community-driven projects, we aim to inspire a deeper connection between people and the natural world — and ultimately help protect what remains wild for future generations.
Whether you join us to create art, learn about ecology, share knowledge, or simply reconnect with wonder, Wild Creative is about rediscovering community, curiosity, and our place within the wild.
-Jay Kazen
President/Founder