Work Place: A new creative coworking and event space in Downtown Vancouver

Vancouver is known for its ever-expanding creative industry. Hey, it’s even been dubbed Hollywood North. But the problems facing many in this freelance-fuelled industry include isolation and having a fixed place to work.

That’s why Vancouver-based entrepreneur Lisa Curry started Work Place with the help of her friends. Located on West Pender Street in Downtown Vancouver, this new coworking and event space aims to keep creative individuals in the city by promoting networking and collaboration.

Work Place/Image: Christin Herrmann

Curry and her group of friends have been active in Vancouver’s creative community for many years and now they’ve opened Work Place to channel the growing energy of the coworking movement to provide affordable office amenities to freelancers, cultural non-profits, and small businesses.

The new 2,400-sq-ft space provides an alternative to traditional office space as it aims to develop user skills and engages audiences at both public events and private meetings. It offers two meeting rooms, a reading lounge, and dedicated work spaces where creatives can work daily.

Work Place upper level desks/Work Place

As well, it offers operational hours; it is open from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday. Long-table seating promotes interaction and networking, with space to be comfortable and productive.

“Isolation is something that many Vancouverites understand, even if they aren’t freelancing. Work Place is a place to get to work, but it’s also a place to get inspired, grow as an individual or an organization, and meet new people,” founder Lisa Curry said in a press release.

Work Place opening evening/Image: Cameron Bowman

Small businesses and cultural non-profits will be able to use Work Place as a home base in the city as it’s offering special rates for small teams, to take them out of coffee shops and living rooms.

“This city is notorious for high rents, renovictions and the closure of creative community hubs. We saw an opportunity in the coworking movement to create affordable space for small business and the creative community to not only survive in Vancouver, but to thrive,” Curry added.

Freelancers can take advantage of a variety of coworking options at Work Place including drop-in day passes or dedicated desk rentals. Members then can too rent the space to host licensed events like exhibitions, talks, readings, publication launches or workshops.

A schedule for summer workshops is currently being created by Work Place and will include their monthly meetup ‘Thursday Socials’. This casual meetup is free and open to freelancers as an informal opportunity to network and share ideas.

Thursday Socials at Work Place

When: August 3, 6:30 – 8:30 pm

Where: Work Place – 163 West Pender Street, Vancouver

Price: Free – Register online via Eventbrite