Written by Georgia Farquharson, Founder of FARQ
At FARQ, we run our annual retreats because we believe the most meaningful growth for creators doesn’t happen on platforms, but in shared, intentional time together. They exist to bring everyone into one room, creating invaluable face time – no mean feat with a team spread across the country and globe.
They create space for relationships to develop and deepen, for knowledge to be shared, and for a community that largely lives and breathes online to become real.
There’s a particular energy that happens when a large group of creators step away from the algorithm and into a room together, or in this case, into three days, at our fourth-ever FARQ Retreat.
I founded FARQ in 2021, a talent management company and creator community, built to support digital talent through representation, education and long-term career development. Since then, we’ve not only grown a collective of over 50 creators across three markets, but we’ve also organised four retreats to bring our FARQ community together in person each year.
Four retreats in, each one has deepened what we’re building in more ways I could have anticipated at the start.
At our FARQ Retreats, that energy is impossible to ignore. It’s joy, it’s relief and it’s connection.
One of our team members recently mentioned that “FARQ is a feeling”, and it’s stuck with me because the feeling at our retreat is indescribable. It’s a space where people feel safe, supported, inspired, and part of something bigger than themselves. It’s something far more meaningful.
Our retreats are built on a simple belief – some of the most important growth doesn’t happen online, but around a dinner table, on walks between sessions, in honest conversations after panels, or when someone casually shares advice that transforms another creator’s business.
That’s what FARQ Retreats have become for us – not an event in the traditional sense, but a space where community, support and education collide.
Community that feels like something bigger
One of my favourite parts of every retreat is watching how quickly people drop the version of themselves that exists online. Many of the creators in the room had known each other for years digitally but had never properly shared space. The shift that happens when they finally do is always striking.
This year’s retreat was held at Tewinbury Farm – a 700-acre farm in Hertfordshire where we kicked off day one gently, with coffee in the farmyard, slow conversations, and our FARQaccia (focaccia) decorating session. There’s something about doing something tactile together, getting your hands messy, and casually chatting away. Immediately breaking down the walls that so often exist in our industry.
The schedule for the retreats is always thoughtfully planned to be a real mix of educational talks, fun workshops and time to properly connect – not just quick introductions, but the kind of conversations that build genuine relationships.
From insightful sessions that challenge the way we think, to lighter moments that spark creativity and laughter, it’s that balance that makes the experience so valuable.
Talks included “Cultivating a Community, led by Off Paper Studios Founder Becks Wookey, “Substance over Scroll” with Rajarshi Lahiri from YouTube and “Protect Your Platform” with ESET cyber security expert Jake Moore. At FARQ, our core pillars are community, support and education – and every part of the Retreat really brings these to life.
The day wasn’t all work, of course, there were moments that were quieter, a time to slow down and reflect, as well as fun filled events that matter just as much. Our sponsored Big Potato Games night, the smores, the pizza, the laughter that comes when no one is “performing” anything at all.
Education that actually sticks
Education at FARQ has never been about information overload or polished keynote moments. It’s about giving creators something they can use that is meaningful and sustainable.
We invite a range of expert voices, and they share knowledge in an environment that feels comfortable and relaxed, with time for questions and space to learn something new.
This year, sessions were designed around a mix of trending topics and key areas to help creators upskill– because knowledge is power. While the session with cyber security expert Jake may not directly link to brand partnerships or revenue, it reflects our commitment to protecting our creators and equipping them with the tools to stay safe online. Because sustainability isn’t just about creativity, it’s about building something secure and long-lasting too.
The creator economy is constantly evolving – audiences are becoming more discerning, brands are looking for authentic partnerships that deliver on various levels and platforms are shifting constantly. The creators who thrive long-term are the ones thinking beyond short-term visibility and toward something more stable – business, brand, legacy
We make sure there’s time to pause intentionally, as often that’s where the most meaningful connections are made. What I’ve learned over the years is that the most valuable education doesn’t only happen in sessions, it happens afterwards too. Whether that be in the in-between conversations, over lunch, on walks, or late at night, that’s where ideas deepen, and it’s where learning actually sticks.
By the end of the retreat, what starts as a group of individuals from across the industry feels much more like a community.
The importance of slowing down
One of the most powerful parts of this year’s retreat was simply giving people permission to slow down.
In an industry that rewards constant output, stillness can feel unfamiliar, or even uncomfortable. Our Sound Bath and Stretch session with Studio 281 was the perfect moment of collective pause. It wasn’t loud or performative at all, – it was quiet and intentional. It reminded me that support isn’t just about strategy or education – it’s also about creating space for people to simply just breathe.
Day two ended with a Roots Dinner – with food foraged and prepared from Tewinbury’s own alottment filled with music, and shared food, that sense of grounding carried through. There’s something powerful about gathering without agenda, without output, without expectation. We were a group of 35+ people, just enjoying being together.
Retreat take away
There are tangible things creators take away from a FARQ Retreat – the insights, voicenotes and ideas that go home in notebooks. But what stays with me most isn’t any of that. It’s the shift in how people feel.
They leave with perspective, support systems and most importantly friendships. They leave feeling less alone in what can often be an overwhelming and very isolating industry.
As a talent team, we leave with something just as important, and that’s a clearer understanding of what creators’ need from us, and how we can show up better for them long after the retreat ends. When you spend real time with people, not through screens, not through metrics, but in shared space, only then you will start to understand them differently.
At the heart of all of this is something quite simple, but incredibly powerful. We’re not just building a network of creators, we’re building a community, and at its best, that community feels like belonging. It feels like safety. It feels like joy.
I keep coming back to that word joy because it was everywhere at this year’s retreat. In the laughter, in the conversations, in the quiet moments in between everything else, and I think that’s what I’ll carry forward most from this retreat.
What we’re really building is belonging, and, at its best, joy. The kind of joy that comes from feeling safe, seen and surrounded by people who want to see you succeed, and that, to me, is what FARQ Retreats are all about.
Retreat takeaways – the power of connecting offline
In an industry that can often feel transactional and heavily online, one of the biggest takeaways for me is the power of creating moments of real-life connection.
Creators are craving genuine connection – spaces where they can talk honestly, learn from one another and feel supported beyond campaigns and deliverables. We live so much of our lives online, and given the industry we work in, that’s the norm, but some of the most valuable conversations happen away from content schedules and performance metrics. I think more agencies are beginning to recognise the importance of making space for that.
For agencies and talent teams, there’s real value in creating opportunities for people to come together offline, whether that’s retreats, dinners, workshops or smaller community moments. These in-person connections build stronger relationships, deeper trust and a lasting sense of belonging – not only between creators themselves, but also between talent and the teams supporting them.
