REGISTRATION NOW OPEN | LIMITED SPOTS
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN | LIMITED SPOTS
Find joy & freedom in your photography again
summer murdockintroducingThe Creative Return
Starts October 1st 2026
A six-month program for artists longing to return to making work that feels alive
At its core, The Creative Return is an artist collective — a space where photographers can gather, step out of perfection and performance, and reconnect with the part of themselves that makes art.
Guided by Summer Murdock and Bec Griffiths, each month centers around a Guest Artist's work. Members are invited to respond by creating work of their own, inspired by the artist's practice, process, and way of seeing.
Right now—maybe more than ever—It feels important that artists have spaces to gather, to share how they actually work, and to inspire each other from that place.
We can’t wait to hang out with you.
What to expect
A gentle and safe space to be inspired by art, discuss art, create art, share art and focus on making.
The Creative Return invites you to rediscover making work that feels messy, imperfect and ALIVE.
A supportive space
Summer and Bec are your hosts and companions through all six months — leading the community meetings, holding space in the collective, and gently rekindling your creative fire.
Collaborative Energy
Not competition. Not comparison. A room full of photographers working out loud, sharing the half-finished and the not-quite-right, asking the questions they'd normally sit on alone. Nobody wrestles with their work by themselves here. We wrestle together.
Accountability
Monthly assignments, gentle deadlines, and a group that's expecting you — the kind of framework that turns "I should really make something" into actually making something. You don't have to find the discipline on your own. The rhythm is built in to The Creative Return.
A Peek Behind the Work
Technique has its place here — but it's not the whole focus. Each Guest Artist opens up their actual practice: the story behind the images, how ideas take shape, what the messy middle really looks like. It's the kind of access and perspective you can't get from just looking at their work.
Expert Inspiration
Each month an inspiring Guest Artist joins the collective twice: through their in-depth recorded interview at the start of the month, and then live for a Q&A with members of The Creative Return near the end of the month.
Intentional Structure
Each month follows a gentle rhythm:
Inspiration
Response
Check In
Conversation
Share
Your invitation to create work that feels free, bold & deeply your own
Inside the community
The community isn't a bonus feature of The Creative Return — it is The Creative Return. Beyond the monthly content, here's what's waiting for you inside:
Real help when you're stuck.
In our live Community Meetings, Summer and Bec will look at member work — not to critique or grade it, but to help you work through problems. Stuck on where a project is going? Can't figure out why an image isn't landing? Bring it. We'll untangle it together.
Discussions and challenges.
Between the monthly assignments, ongoing conversations and creative challenges keep the momentum going — small sparks to keep you shooting, thinking, and talking about the work.
Friendship.
Not followers. Not an audience. Actual creative friendships with people who get it — the kind that outlast the program. People craving a community outside of social media can find their people here.
Each month follows anIntentional structure
Inspiration
At the start of every month, an in-depth video interview exploring a Guest Artist's practice is released alongside a creative assignment inspired by their work. Hosted by Summer and Bec, each hour-long interview goes deep — the artist shares their work, insights into their creative practice, and a behind-the-scenes look at their process: you witness the story behind the images, not just the images themselves.
Guest Artists are still being finalized but include Sony Artisan of imagery Endia Beal and acclaimed documentary photographer Nancy Borowick; both artists have had work exhibited all over the world.
Response
Collective members then spend the first weeks of the month exploring their own creative response to the assignment. Written prompts and guidance are included, but you're encouraged to work intuitively — there's no right answer, and no one is grading you. Follow what pulls at you.
Check in
Each month, a Live Community Meeting is held with Summer or Bec. These sessions are a chance to share progress, workshop ideas, and get help with whatever you're wrestling with — a project that's stalled, an image that isn't landing, a block you can't name. This isn't critique; it's problem-solving, together.
Conversation
Towards the end of each month, the featured Guest Artist joins us for a live, hour-long Q&A where collective members can ask questions about their work and gain further insight into the artist's creative practice.
Share
At the end of each month collective members will be invited to share their final creative response.
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
Space is limited
one payment$599
One payment for the full 6-month program
(amazing value - 6 months of community and only a bit more than one of our 3-4 weeks interactive classes)
OR
payment plan$109
Per month for 6 months on payment plan
(total $654)This includes:6 months of access to The Creative Return
6 x In Depth Guest Artist Interviews
6 x LIVE Q&A sessions with Guest Artists
6 x Community Meetings with Summer / Bec
600 billion jolts of creative energy
(I mean that last one is a guess but art communities can achieve a lot …)
Guest Artists are still being finalised but will include Endia beal and nancy borowick who are both highly acclaimed photographers who have been exhibited globally. REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
The Creative Return is perfect for you if
You’re craving a community outside of social media
You’re seeking inspiration from compelling and established artists
You’re still hungry to create but haven't been able to find a path (back) in
You desire to create work that feels fresh and honest
You’ve focused so much on creating for others that you’ve forgotten how to create for yourself
You’re seeking accountability and know that sometimes a deadline is the gentle kick up the butt you need
FAQs.
If your question isn’t answered here - please email us at info@illuminateclasses.com
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The Creative Return starts 1st October 2026 and will run through until March 30th 2027
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All live sessions - Community Catch Ups and artist Q&A’s - will be recorded so you can watch any that you miss
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Most Community Meetings will be held on Thursday afternoon / evening for US members (which is Friday morning/lunchtime for Australian’s)
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We don’t want to reveal tooooo much but we are so excited about the line up of guests. It’s a mix of documentary, conceptual, fine art and mixed media photographers that are all established in their practice, recognised internationally and are both generous and humble in sharing their process.
This is your invitation to create work that feels free, bold & deeply your own.
Space is limitedregistration now open
