How to run community initiatives & create opportunities that connect

our playbook for building an open call

Playground readers,

We’ve just wrapped another open call review sprint – and in the space of two weeks, we finalised two separate selections. For the magazine open call alone, we received 268 applications!

Every time we do this, I walk away with the same mix of feelings “so many talented people!” and, that “community” is one of the most misunderstood words in the creative industries.

Because somewhere along the way, “community” started to mean; invite people > buy drinks > post a recap > call it a day.

A party is not what builds communities!

What actually makes a community is simpler – and harder: creating real opportunities that people can step into and connect around.

Two hundred sixty eight applications from our last Open Call for Playground Issue 5 we just finalized

Let’s start by saying, that not everyone wants to be part of a community. The word itself comes with an unspoken expectation to participate – and nobody wants to be forced into that.

In practice, people tend to sit in three buckets:

• Passive observers – they watch, follow, read, save

• Gatherers – they like being included and might show up occasionally, online or offline

• Active opportunity seekers and creators – they want to contribute, build, try, participate

All three groups matter. But the third one – the active seekers and creators – is the underrated superpower. They want a door to open.

And here’s the honest part: they’re often motivated by either (or both) of these:

1. Contributing to something bigger than themselves/being a part of a like-minded group

2. Benefiting from the opportunity – by bringing their own idea to life

And if you can design an initiative where both sides win – you and your community member(s) – you’ve got something going.

This simplified example fits most communities, if you think about your house, brands, social media channels, or a running club

Why it matters?

At studio playground, we’ve run open calls across different contexts – from being part of the team at Atelier100 (with IKEA and H&M), where thousands applied and 30+ London-based designers received funding of up to £10,000 to bring products to life, to our open calls for Playground Magazine contributions, to the recent collaboration with Newspaper Club supporting people to print their ideas.

The pattern we have noticed is always the same:

• Open calls create LOADS of energy around a project

• They pull in people you would never reach otherwise

• They strengthen your role with your audience/ community because you’re co-creating with them

• They reach new audiences almost automatically, because people share opportunities

Open calls are powerful enough that, over time, they can even activate the other two buckets – passive observers and gatherers – simply because they can see something happening that feels accessible.

It’s a mindset shift! From inviting community to exploring what opportunity you can create together.

Our latest open call brought many learnings, so here, we are opening the ins and outs of one type of community engagement that really sticks in all cases we tried – the open call. It could be done for product, marketing, content, and truthfully, endless co-creation opportunities.

---

The open call playbook

1. The starting point

An open call is not “community building”. It’s opportunity building, and the number one rule, it has to be a value exchange – both ways.

Value for applicants: help people bring work to life, such as funding, mentoring, publishing, production, distribution, visibility, access.

Value for you: a clear return, such as talent discovery, stronger editorial pipeline, cultural relevance, product design, reach, long-term trust.

If you’re the only one benefiting, it’s marketing. If only applicants benefit, it won’t matter to you, and won’t stick.

2. Creating the Open Call

Make it impossible to misunderstand:

• Why this exists, why now

• What they get (be specific)

• Who it’s for (and who it’s not for, clear limitations!)

• What to submit (format, files, links, word count)

• Timeline (deadline and announcement date)

Tip: financial support, visibility or mentoring are some of the strongest reasons for people to apply.

3. Setting the criteria

Decide what “good” means before you open the doors. Pick three to five criteria and stick to them:

• clarity of idea

• relevance to the brief

• ability to execute

• originality and craft

• fit with your platform

• curatorial fit to overall project

4. Running it fairly

You have to make it VERY clear & democratic. One process for everyone:

• no fast lanes

• no side-door submissions

• no friend exceptions outside of open call

5. Distributing the open call

Your best channels in order are:

• previous applicants (they repeat, or recommend!)

• your digital channels

• partners and aligned communities

• universities and programmes

• press (only if it’s truly big)

6. For the applicants!

This is what we wish more people knew: “apply everywhere” doesn’t win!

Yes to:

• show the idea properly (sketch, outline, prototype, draft – anything concrete)

• be specific about why this open call (not just why you, in general)

• prove you understand who you’re applying to (reference the brief, the context, the audience)

• make it easy to assess (clean links, labelled files, one strong PDF beats 12 messy attachments and don’t forget to give the access!)

• make sure you can make it happen in time

No to:

• “we’ll figure it out later” (someone else didn’t)

• copy-paste applications (we can tell in seconds)

• AI-smooth text with no real substance (also visible)

Tools are fine. But the effort matters, and it’s also very visible.

7. Reviewing

This is the hard bit. A few learnings:

• review after the deadline (not as it comes in)

• shortlist fast, then go slow

• keep notes for yourself

• accept that saying no is part of doing it properly

Note for applicants: a no is not a “never”. It’s a “not this time”.

8. Closing the loop

You don’t owe personal feedback. Applicants got to accept that, giving hundreds of personal feedback is simply impossible. You do owe a response though.

• confirmation of receipt & a proper thank you

• results announcement - YES or NO

• what’s next (if there is a next)

Trust is built through how you treat the people who didn’t win too. This matters a lot.

---

Open calls are a muscle. The more you do, the clearer it becomes.

While writing this, I saw a brilliant example from Outlander – inviting two community members to capture Fred again… How good? (original invite) Exactly what we are talking about too.

If you’ve seen a great open call or community initiative lately, send it my way. I’m collecting examples – and I’d love to feature a few.

---

Housekeeping

• If you like how we think and you’re a brand, consider working with us. We’ve just added fresh cases at studioplayground.cc!

• If you like what we do, the biggest support is picking up our print magazine or merch – it keeps the Playground alive.

• A small gesture goes a long way. If you liked what you read, share it with a friend, subscribe to our newsletter, drop us a reply, join the comments – or simply give it a like. Every feedback keeps us moving.

Thanks for reading,

Auste & Playground team