How to Host an Event or Meeting Here

Hosting an event or meeting at CreateATL works best when expectations are clear from the start. This is a shared environment with daily work, neighborhood use, and recurring programming. Successful events fit into that rhythm rather than interrupt it.

What follows is a practical guide—how to plan, what to expect, and how to make the experience work for you and for everyone else using the space.

Start With the Purpose

Before looking at rooms or dates, be specific about what you’re hosting.

Is this a working meeting, a public-facing event, a hands-on activity, or a performance? Will people be seated, moving around, or coming and going? How long does it need to run to accomplish its goal?

Clarity here determines everything else: room choice, staffing needs, setup time, and whether the event belongs during the day or evening. Vague plans tend to create friction later.

(Internal link: Programming Partners)

Choose the Right Space

CreateATL includes multiple zones designed for different uses. Matching the format to the room matters more than squeezing into a larger footprint.

• Conference rooms work well for focused meetings, discussions, and presentations.

• Library and quieter areas support small group work that requires minimal disruption.

• LIFT and shared areas are better suited for public events, workshops, and gatherings that benefit from visibility and flow.

Using the right room protects your event and everyone else’s workday.

Understand Timing and Transitions

Daytime and evening use operate differently.

During work hours, the priority is productivity. Events scheduled during this time need to respect noise levels, circulation paths, and member access. Evenings and weekends allow for more flexibility, but still require planning for setup, breakdown, and cleanup.

Build buffer time into your schedule. Rushed transitions create stress for hosts, staff, and attendees.

Staffing and Support

Some events require on-site support. Others don’t.

Larger gatherings, public-facing programs, filming, or anything that affects parking, sound, or multiple rooms typically require advance coordination and staff presence. This ensures safety, protects the space, and keeps expectations aligned.

If you’re unsure, ask early. It’s easier to scale support up than to recover from a mismatch on the day of the event.

Capacity, Noise, and Boundaries

CreateATL is not a blank-slate venue. Capacity limits, sound considerations, and shared norms are real constraints.

• Plan attendance realistically.

• Use amplification only where appropriate.

• Keep circulation paths clear.

• End on time.

These boundaries are not arbitrary. They are what allow meetings, work, and events to coexist without conflict.

(Internal link: BUILT to the M.A.C.S.)

Food, Drink, and the Role of the Café

Food changes how people experience events.

Sassy’s Café is part of the ecosystem here. Coordinating refreshments through the café supports consistency and reduces logistical complexity. Outside food may be appropriate in some cases, but it should be discussed ahead of time.

Events that align with daily rhythms—coffee before a meeting, tea during a workshop, light fare for an evening gathering—tend to feel more integrated and less disruptive.

(Internal link: Sassy’s Café)

Public Events vs. Member Use

Some events are open to the public. Others are member-focused or private.

Being clear about this distinction helps attendees understand how to move through the space and what access is included. For public-facing events, hosts are responsible for communicating boundaries and guiding guests appropriately.

CreateATL offers low-cost day passes and complimentary access with qualifying café purchases to make participation accessible without blurring expectations.

Cleanup and Reset

Leaving the space ready for the next group is part of hosting here.

That means returning furniture, disposing of trash, wiping surfaces, and respecting the agreed end time. Staff can support resets when arranged in advance, but hosts remain accountable for the condition of the room.

Good resets build goodwill. They also make it easier to host again.

Why This Structure Exists

Events succeed here because structure exists.

CreateATL operates as a micro adaptive cultural system—balancing work, learning, civic life, and gathering in one place. Hosting guidelines protect that balance so the space remains usable the next morning, not just memorable the night before.

When hosts plan with the system in mind, events feel natural rather than imposed.

(Internal link: A Community Development Model)

Getting Started

If you’re interested in hosting:

1. Define your purpose and format

2. Identify a preferred date and time window

3. Estimate attendance and needs

4. Reach out early to coordinate details

Clear communication up front leads to smoother events and better outcomes.

A Shared Responsibility

Hosting at CreateATL works when responsibility is shared. Hosts bring intention and preparation. The space provides structure, support, and context.

That partnership allows meetings and events to contribute to the life of the place rather than compete with it—and keeps the door open for the next gathering.