How to meet creatives in Graz: communities, hubs and events

Looking to meet creatives in Graz? Discover the best communities, events, co-working spaces, and hubs where designers, artists, and creative professionals connect in this UNESCO City of Design.

Graz punches well above its weight when it comes to creative culture. As Austria's second-largest city and a UNESCO City of Design, it has a genuinely thriving scene built around design, architecture, and the arts. With a large student population, a string of festivals, and a compact city centre that makes running into people easy, connecting with other creatives here is more straightforward than you might expect.

Communities for creatives in Graz

Find communities for creatives in Graz where you can meet like-minded professionals, share ideas and build lasting connections.

Creative Lunch Club

Creative Lunch Club is a global community for people working in the creative industries. Whether you are a graphic designer, a photographer, an artist, or a filmmaker, the Creative Lunch Club gives you the chance to regularly meet other creatives in your city for lunch.

Join Creative Lunch Club in Graz and meet other professional creatives for lunch.

Illustration Ladies

Illustration Ladies is an international community for female and non-binary illustrators, creating space for connection, support, and visibility through meetups, drawing sessions, and workshops. It’s a space to share ideas, grow creatively, and support each other in an often isolating industry.

illustrationladies.com

Creative Hubs and Spaces to Meet People in Graz

Discover creative hubs and coworking spaces in Graz where people working in the creative industries regularly gather and collaborate.

Spacelend

Spacelend is Graz's largest coworking space, with 1,400m² across two levels in an industrial-style building in the Lend district. Beyond flexible desks and private offices, it has a sauna, fitness facilities, and a kitchen, making it one of the better-equipped creative work hubs in the city.

spacelend.at

Hangouts & cool places for creatives in Graz

Explore the best hangouts, cafes, galleries and cool spaces in Graz where creatives tend to spend their time.

Kunsthaus Graz

Kunsthaus Graz is a contemporary art museum in a biomorphic blue structure nicknamed the Friendly Alien, designed by Peter Cook and Colin Fournier for Graz's year as European Capital of Culture in 2003. It hosts a changing program of exhibitions focused on international contemporary art, design, and new media.

museum-joanneum.at/en/kunsthaus-graz

Der Steirer

Der Steirer is a laid-back restaurant near the old town serving a modern take on traditional Styrian cuisine, from Backhendl with pumpkin seed oil salad to slow-cooked roast pork. It's one of those spots where locals actually eat, open daily from 11am to midnight.

der-steirer.at

Dr. Bottle

Dr. Bottle is a bottle shop and bar at Lendplatz where Graz's craft beer scene really comes into its own. Fridges are stacked with cans from Austria's best small breweries alongside European and American imports, with a few taps for fresh pours and enough room to linger and talk beer with the staff.

drbottle.at

Aiola Upstairs

Aiola Upstairs is a restaurant and bar on top of the Schlossberg, accessible by funicular or glass elevator, with sweeping views over Graz's red rooftops and the surrounding hills. Glass fronts fold away entirely in warm weather, merging the terrace and indoor space into one. Go for sunset.

upstairs.aiola.at

Tash Living

Tash Living is a concept store and design studio at Hofgasse 7 in Graz's old town, combining interior design objects, lifestyle products, stationery, and design gifts with a platform for emerging local designers. It's part of Graz's official UNESCO City of Design places map.

tash-living.at

Stammtisch am Paulustor

Stammtisch am Paulustor is a restaurant set in the historic Palais Wildenstein in central Graz, with a shaded courtyard for regional cuisine at lunch and a more refined à la carte menu in the evening. They work with local producers and have earned a place in the MICHELIN Guide.

stammtisch.restaurant

Paul & Bohne

Paul & Bohne is a Styrian specialty coffee roaster with a cafe at Lendplatz where you can watch the roasters work while you drink. They source beans carefully, roast on-site, and serve proper filter coffee alongside espresso in the heart of Graz's most creative neighbourhood.

paulundbohne.at

Creative Conferences and Events in Graz

The key conferences, design weeks and creative events in Graz where you can meet other professionals and stay inspired.

Designmonat Graz

Designmonat Graz is a citywide celebration of design packed with exhibitions, talks and workshops, mixing international perspectives with local talent. Recent editions explored “The New Real,” looking at creativity in the age of AI.

designmonat.at

Graz has a creative scene that rewards people who show up. The combination of strong design institutions, a busy festival calendar, and a walkable city centre means the community is genuinely accessible. Get involved, stay consistent, and you'll build real connections here pretty quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best way to meet other creatives in Graz?: The best way to meet other creatives in Graz is to show up consistently somewhere rather than hoping a one-off networking event leads somewhere. Creative Lunch Club is a good starting point and a great way to meet other creatives: you get matched with a small group of creatives for lunch, which is a much more natural way to actually get to know people.
Where can I find creative communities in Graz?: Graz has a growing number of communities for creatives, from global networks like Creative Lunch Club to local meetup groups and coworking communities. The best place to start is joining a community that meets regularly, so you build real relationships over time rather than just collecting contacts at one-off events.
Are there networking events for creatives in Graz?: Graz has a range of events throughout the year where creatives meet, from industry conferences to informal gatherings. That said, traditional networking events can feel forced. Many creatives prefer more relaxed formats like Creative Lunch Club, where you meet people over lunch rather than awkward small talk with a name badge.
How do I find designer meetups in Graz?: A good starting point is Creative Lunch Club, which runs regular meetups for designers and other creatives in Graz. Beyond that, keep an eye on local design communities, Instagram, and event platforms for one-off gatherings tied to conferences or design weeks.
Where do graphic designers hang out in Graz?: Designers tend to gravitate toward independent cafés, creative coworking spaces, and community events. Online, local design groups and communities like Creative Lunch Club are where a lot of the conversation happens and where lunches and meetups get organized.
How do I break into the creative scene in Graz?: Show up consistently. The creative scene in Graz is more accessible than it looks -- most people are open to meeting others, especially in a low-pressure setting. Joining a community like Creative Lunch Club is one of the easiest ways in, since you're introduced to a small group of people rather than thrown into a room of strangers.
Where can I meet freelance creatives in Graz?: Freelancers make up a big part of Creative Lunch Club's members in Graz. It's a natural fit since freelancing can be isolating and lunch is an easy, low-commitment way to meet people. Coworking spaces are another good bet.
What are the best creative events in Graz?: Graz has plenty of events for creatives, ranging from design conferences and film festivals to photography exhibitions and music events. For regular, ongoing connection rather than one-off events, Creative Lunch Club runs monthly meetups in Graz year round.

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Creatives enjoying lunch together at a Creative Lunch Club gathering

Meet Other Creatives for Lunch

The Creative Lunch Club is a community for people working in the creative industries.

Whether you are a graphic designer, a photographer, a marketer, or a filmmaker, the Creative Lunch Club gives you the chance to regularly meet other creatives in your city for lunch.

Join Creative Lunch Club

Thanks to Creative Lunch Club and their beautiful concept I regularly get to meet new creative people in Vienna every month.

Jolly Schwarz

Photographer, Vienna

I moved to Brussels a year and a half ago, from a small town, to pursue more photography opportunities. The Creative Lunch Club has been instrumental in helping me connect with other creatives and discover the wonders of this city. Sharing lunch with like-minded creatives has opened up new ideas and perspectives for me. The passion and energy from these gatherings never fail to inspire and motivate me.

Whitley Isa

Photographer, Brussels

I am an East London girl with a busy life and have found it hard to meet like-minded creatives but after only using the creativelunchclub once, I met one of my soul mates. Not only are we doing some collaborating with her being a singer and myself working in fashion and modelling which has all been really useful but we have also become best friends. Loved my experience and would highly recommend it for anyone that wants to network in the creative ares and you never know, you might meet your bestie too.

Amber Smith

Model and print designer, London