Create Next GR

Create Next empowers the next wave of visual and audio creators with the tools, mentorship, and opportunities to create boldly and shape the future of media.

05/19/2026

📢‼️PLEASE NOTE! This will be the LAST light night at .cor3, Light Night will be undergoing a restructure, so please make sure you come out and attend if you haven't already.

Get ready to groove 🪩

Gather your friends for a fun night with Da'veonce and DaFunk Gang

, director of Create Next will kick off the night with some announcements and training on concert lighting. The rest of the night creatives are welcome to dance, create content, network with each other and enjoy catering by

Create Next is a non-profit empowering the next generation of creators. This free monthly event "Light Night" gives young creatives (photographers and videographers) a space to try something new and build creative career paths through community, storytelling, and skill building.

🗓️ Wednesday, June 3rd

⏰ 7pm - 9pm

📍Located at .cor3

📷 FREE & open to all skill sets

05/13/2026

Thank you everyone who joined us at our last light night. Holly, director of business development at .media.official shed light on marketing with her years of fashion experience. We also had special guests, Betty, Miya, and The Common Gentry Carriage Company.

Create next is a non-profit dedicated to empowering the next generation of creatives. Each month we host "Light Night" a free workshop designed to introduce photographers, videographers, and models to practical lighting techniques in a professional studio setting here in Grand Rapids. It's also an opportunity for creatives to network with one another.

Our mission centers on supporting underserved high school students with the goal of launching a future education program that provides deeper training and photography, videography, and audio production. Light Night is an extension of our mission and serves as an open creative space where people of all ages and experience levels can learn, practice, and explore non-traditional creative career paths.

Light Night remains free because of the support of our community. Donations help cover studio space, lighting, and equipment so young creatives can keep learning and growing. If you would like to support future Light Nights, our donation link is in our bio.

See you at the next one!

04/22/2026

Hold your horses! 🐎
The next light night is Wednesday, May 6th

Holly, director of business development at .media.official will be shedding light on marketing with her years of experience working in the fashion industry. We are also happy to have Miya and back in the studio as our special guests!

Presented by Create Next, a non-profit empowering the next generation of creators. This free monthly event gives young creatives a space to try something new and build creative career paths through community, storytelling, and skill building. While our mission is to empower underserved youth, all are welcome to join.

Support the future of creative education. Donate by clicking the link in our bio.

🗓️ Wednesday, May 6th

⏰ 7pm - 9pm

📍 Located at .cor3

📷 FREE & open to all skill sets

Theme: Western 🤠

In photo: , Miya, and

04/05/2026

Thank you everyone who joined us for April's Light Night. This month's lesson, posing fundamentals, taught by .arntz owner of .media.official gave tips on how to pose with confidence and how to pose with light. West Michigan creatives came together to experiment, collaborate, and push their technical skills further inside the studio.

Create next is a non-profit dedicated to empowering the next generation of creatives. Each month we host "Light Night" a free workshop designed to introduce photographers, videographers, and models to practical lighting techniques in a professional studio setting here in Grand Rapids.

Our mission centers on supporting underserved high school students with the goal of launching a future education program that provides deeper training and photography, videography, and audio production. Light Night is an extension of our mission and serves as an open creative space where people of all ages and experience levels can learn, practice, and explore non-traditional creative career paths.

Light Night remains free because of the support of our community. Donations help cover studio space, lighting, and equipment so young creatives can keep learning and growing. If you would like to support future Light Nights, our donation link is in our bio.

See you at the next one!

03/18/2026

It's prom season 🪩💃

This month's theme is "Prom Night". Formal looks are encouraged, but all creative interpretations are welcome.

, head photographer from .media.official will kick off the night with a live demonstration focused on posing fundamentals and building confidence in front of the camera.

This month's theme is "Prom Night". Formal looks are encouraged.

Presented by Create Next, a non-profit empowering the next generation of creators. This free monthly event "Light Night" gives young creatives (photographers, videographers, and models) a space to try something new and build creative career paths through community, storytelling, and skill building.

Support the future of creative education. Donate by clicking the link in our bio.

🗓️ Wednesday, April 1st

⏰ 7pm - 9pm

📍Located at .cor3

📷 FREE & open to all skill sets

In photo: .koester .talent

03/05/2026

Thank you everyone who joined us for March's Light Night. This month's lesson, owning the light, taught by .arntz owner of .media.official focused on how to take control of studio lighting and adapt when working and challenging environments. West Michigan creatives came together to experiment, collaborate, and push their technical skills further inside the studio.

Create next is a non-profit dedicated to empowering the next generation of creatives. Each month we host "Light Night" a free workshop designed to introduce photographers, videographers, and models to practical lighting techniques in a professional studio setting here in Grand Rapids.

Our mission centers on supporting underserved high school students with the goal of launching a future education program that provides deeper training and photography, videography, and audio production. Light Night is an extension of our mission and serves as an open creative space where people of all ages and experience levels can learn, practice, and explore non-traditional creative career paths.

Light Night remains free because of the support of our community. Donations help cover studio space, lighting, and equipment so young creatives can keep learning and growing. If you would like to support future Light Nights, our donation link is in our bio.

See you at the next one!

02/25/2026

"Own the Light"

Jason Arntz, owner of Revo Media will demonstrate how to control lighting in a studio setting and challenging environments.

Light Night is sponsored by Create Next, a non-profit empowering the next generation of creators. This free monthly event gives young creatives a space to try something new and build creative career paths through community, storytelling, and skill building. While our mission is to empower underserved youth, all are welcome to join.

🗓️ Wednesday, March 4th

⏰ 7pm - 9pm

📍 Located at .cor3

📷 FREE & open to all ages and skill sets

In photo: .talent

02/06/2026

Thank you everyone for attending February's light night "shaping light" where West Michigan creatives learned about controlling light with modifiers.

Create next as a non-profit focusing on empowering the next generation of creatives. We host a free workshop once a month that focuses on beginner-friendly lighting principles for new and rising photographers, videographers, and models in the greater Grand Rapids area. Our mission at heart supports underserved high school students who normally don't have access to creative spaces, but all are welcome to attend. It doesn't matter if you've been in the industry for 10 minutes or 10 years, there's always something new to learn and new network connections to be made.

Light night is free to attend, and your support helps make it possible. Whether through a donation or volunteering, every contribution helps keep the space alive for young creatives.

See you at the next one!

01/27/2026

💕 Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Quality of light matters,
And the shape does too. 💕

This February learn how to shape light using different modifiers. We will demonstrate how tools like soft boxes, lanterns, projectors, and reflectors shape, mood, contrast, and control. Each option plays a role in how the final image comes together.

We will break down what each modifier is designed to do, when it makes sense to use it, and how small adjustments can completely change the feel of a setup. You will see the differences live on set and have time to experiment with the lighting yourself.

Presented by Create Next, a non-profit empowering the Next generation of creators. This free monthly event gives young creatives a space to try something new and build non traditional creative career paths through community, storytelling, and skill building. While our mission is to empower underserved youth, all are welcome to join.

🗓️ Wednesday, Feb 1st

⏰ 7pm - 9pm

📍Located at .cor3 1300 front Ave

📷 Free & family friendly

💕 Valentine's day theme

In photo:

01/08/2026

THANK YOU
to all that attended the first light night of 2026, headshot swap! We taught a ton of West Michigan creatives headshot lighting and provided an opportunity to capture one another.

Create Next is a non-profit focused on empowering the next generation of creatives. We host a free workshop once a month that focuses on beginner-friendly lighting principles for new and rising photographers, videographers, and models in the greater Grand rapids area. Our mission at heart supports underserved high school students who normally don't have access to creative spaces, but all are welcome to attend. It doesn't matter if you've been in the industry for 10 minutes or 10 years, there's always something new to learn and new network connections to be made.

Late night is free to attend, and your support helps make it possible. Whether through a donation or volunteering, every contribution helps keep the space alive for young creatives.

See you at the next one!

12/24/2025

Kick off the year with a headshot update!

We will cover the core lighting principles with a lighting demonstration and then we will spend the rest of the time connecting with one another and updating each other's headshot 📷

Presented by Create Next, a non-profit empowering the next generation of creators. This free monthly event gives young creatives a space to try something new and build creative career paths through community, storytelling, and skill building. While our mission is to empower underserved youth, all are welcome to join.

🗓️ Wednesday, January 7th

⏰ 7pm - 9pm

📍 Located at .cor3

📷 FREE & family friendly

💡Supported in part of the City of Grand Rapids Neighborhood Match Fund

In photo: .arntz

Address

Grand Rapids, MI

Website

https://donorbox.org/support-light-night?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAb21jcAQWys1leH

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