CREATIVE AI WORKSHOP - WEEKEND IN NATURE

WHAT IS A CONSCIOUS AI + CREATIVITY RETREAT ?

A weekend in nature, learning AI image and Video Tools, working on your project, and resetting in the beautiful Harz Mountains in Germany, at a unique Designer Boutique Hotel.

Starting Friday at noon, concluding Sunday at 2 pm. 

Where: The Hearts Hotel, a beautiful Designer Boutique Hotel in the middle of nature, the HARZ mountains, Germany

When: Sept  24-27, 2026, Thursday 6 PM arrival through Sunday 2 PM departure
Duration: 18 contact hours over 3 days
Group Size: Small cohort of 12, for personalized attention
Format: Highly interactive with lots of hands-on creation time
Level: No prior AI experience needed—just curiosity and creativity!

Workshop Pricing:

Early Bird Rate (10+ weeks before workshop): €480
Standard Rate: €580
Corporate Rate (3+ participants from same organization): €520 per person​

Accommodation not included, please reserve directly here: theheartshotel.de

Teacher:

Ulrike Kerber’s AI workshops combine her background as a designer and motion design studio owner, her PhD research on “Enhancing creativity with AI” and her interest in personal growth and rising consciousness.

​Space:

Expect a beautiful place to work and relax at the same time. Move your body, breathe, be in nature, and learn the best AI tools. Expect to meet extraordinary people committed to their place in the world, co-creators, and creative leaders. You are invited to a circle of like-minded creatives, who will take you deeper into your creative practice.

​Schedule:

The mornings will start with movement, breathwork and intention setting. Then, we will dive into creative projects with AI. An overview of AI tools, introductions to workflows, demos, and hands-on work will keep your creative minds going.​ The afternoons are designed for your own creative flow and project, with peer-to-peer critique, or guidance as needed. Friday and Saturday evening will conclude with a sound bath, meditation, or yoga session.​​ 

What to bring:

Bring your ideas that are burning to be realized, or follow the structure with suggested storytelling assignments.

​​​​​​If you are building something new, rethinking outdated systems, or seeking creative direction beyond surface-level trends, this is for you. Let’s shape the future together: consciously and with AI where it genuinely adds value.​​​

Yes, you can pay on Gumroad using different currencies like Euros or USD, but all transactions are ultimately processed in USD, with real-time conversion at checkout; your payment method (card, Apple/Google Pay) will handle the final conversion to your local currency. You'll see prices in your local currency, but the charge on your statement will be in USD (or your card's currency) after conversion. 

Thursday Evening to Sunday Afternoon

Dive into the creative possibilities of AI and build an entire world around a product, brand, or mission. In this intensive weekend, you'll explore worldbuilding through visual storytelling—creating a living storyboard made of multiple short AI-generated video clips. It's hands-on, playful, explorative, skillful and fun!

The Hearts Hotel in the Harz Mountains

Learning AI tools for storytelling thrives where the mind can slow down, recharge, and wander. That is why we chose the Harz: a landscape of forests, mountains, and wide horizons that naturally supports focus, imagination, and well-being. Surrounded by nature, with time for hiking, sauna, fitness, and fresh air, creative thinking becomes lighter and more playful, and learning feels less like screen time and more like discovery. Our retreat is hosted at the Heartshotel, a unique designer hotel where modern industrial design meets warmth, craftsmanship, and soul. Concrete, steel, and wood blend with cozy colors, heartfelt hospitality, and spaces designed to breathe, reflect, and feel at ease. This is a place where technology, creativity, and nature come together, so ideas can grow without pressure and stories can emerge naturally.

Your Weekend at a Glance

18 Hours Over 3 Days | Small Group | Highly Interactive

Join us for a long, intensive creative weekend where experimentation meets community. You'll work with cutting-edge AI tools to build visual worlds, share feedback with fellow creatives, and leave with a dynamic visual storyboard that brings your concept to life.

What You'll Experience

• Worldbuilding with AI – Create a cohesive universe with images and videos around your chosen product, brand, or mission. Let’s focus on storytelling aspect. This can be a fictional or actual brand.
• Living Storyboards – Develop multiple short video clips prompted from still frames
• Master Key AI Tools – Hands-on with Midjourney, RunwayML, Veo 2, Suno, and more
• Embrace the Unexpected – Discover creative possibilities through divergent thinking and happy accidents
• Build Community – Connect with fellow creatives through peer feedback and collaborative learning
• Have Fun! – This is a playful exploration, not a serious production course
  

What's Included

• 18 hours of expert instruction from experienced brand designer and doctoral-level AI researcher
• Small group format (maximum 12 participants) for personalized attention
• Comprehensive workshop materials and resources
• AI Tool guidance, “The Best AI Tools for Designers” Book by Ulrike Kerber, and technical support
• Certificate of completion (18 hours professional development)
• Post-workshop resource package and continued learning guide
• Access to private participant community for ongoing collaboration after the course

What's Not Included

• Accommodation (You book your own room at the https://theheartshotel.com/)
• Individual AI tool subscriptions (~€40-80 estimated)
• Meals, Restaurant purchases
• Travel to/from workshop location

Why This Workshop Matters Now

The Strategic Value of AI Literacy

As AI reshapes creative industries, professionals need more than theoretical knowledge—they need hands-on experience with real tools solving real challenges. This workshop bridges that gap.

For Individuals:

• Build confidence with AI tools in a supportive environment
• Develop a portfolio piece showcasing AI capabilities
• Learn workflows you can immediately apply in your work
• Network with other forward-thinking professionals

For Organizations:

• Upskill employees in high-demand AI competencies
• Foster innovation and creative problem-solving
• Stay competitive in rapidly evolving markets
• Demonstrate commitment to employee development

Why Worldbuilding?

Instead of creating one complete video (ambitious for 3 days), we're taking a more strategic approach: building an entire world. Think of it as creating the visual DNA of a brand universe—the colors, moods, characters, and spaces that make it come alive.

This approach is:

• More achievable in a weekend format
• More creative – you're designing a universe, not just a linear narrative
• More versatile – applicable to branding, marketing, product launches, and content strategy
• More fun – each clip is a mini-adventure with room for experimentation

Core Benefits

1. Your World, Your Vision
Bring a product you're developing, a brand you're working with, or a mission you care about. We'll help you build a visual world around it. Maybe it's a sustainable product line that exists in a solarpunk future, a wellness brand, or book launch or an app. Your project becomes your learning vehicle.

2. Divergent Thinking & Creative Problem-Solving
The best innovations come from experimentation. We embrace unexpected outcomes, unconventional prompts, and creative detours. AI sometimes gives you exactly what you didn't know you needed. This mindset translates directly to workplace innovation.

3. Community & Peer Learning
You'll work alongside other professionals, share ideas, give and receive feedback, and build connections that extend beyond the weekend. Peer learning often yields insights that formal instruction cannot.

4. Hands-On with Industry-Leading Tools
Get comfortable with AI tools that are reshaping visual creation: Midjourney for images, RunwayML and Veo 2 for video, Suno for sound, ChatGPT and Claude for ideation. Learn by doing, not by watching.

5. Expert Guidance from an AI Researcher
Learn from someone who not only practices creative AI but researches it at the doctoral level. Ulrike bridges academic rigor with practical application, ensuring you understand both the "how" and the "why."

6. Leave with Tangible Outcomes
By Sunday, you'll have a living storyboard—a collection of short video clips that showcase your world. It's a portfolio piece, a proof of concept, and evidence of your new capabilities.

Prerequisites & What to Bring

Required:

• Your Laptop: With access to the tools (we'll send setup instructions beforehand)
• Open mind and willingness to experiment
• Headphones for video editing and sound work
• Creative Energy: This is a playful, experimental weekend—bring your curiosity!

Optional:

• Visual inspiration (saved images, mood references)
• Brand guidelines if working on an existing brand
• Notebook for analog sketching and note-taking
• A concept to explore: product, brand, or mission you want to build a world around

Helpful but Not Required:

• Previous experience with creative software (Photoshop, Canva, etc.)
• Basic understanding of visual design principles
• Experience with video editing tools

Tool Access (Setup Before Workshop)

You'll need to create some AI tool accounts. Some offer free tiers; others require subscriptions. Do not buy these tools now! We'll send detailed setup instructions upon registration.

Potential Tools:

• Midjourney (~$10/month basic subscription or $30/month standard)
• Gemini (a one month subscription)
• ChatGPT or Claude (free tier acceptable; paid recommended)
• RunwayML or Veo 2 (credits-based; ~$15-30 budget recommended)
• CapCut (free)

Get familiar with the digital whiteboard Miro, and know how to work with it it.

Optional Tools:

• Suno (free tier available)
• ElevenLabs (free tier with limitations)
• Perplexity (free tier available)

Estimated tool costs for workshop: €15-60 depending on subscriptions you already have and how much you generate. We'll provide guidance on maximizing free tiers where possible.

Mindset & Expectations

This workshop is ideal if you:

• Want hands-on AI experience, 
• This can be for beginners or advanced users. We will dive deep with some tools!
• Are comfortable with experimentation
• Enjoy collaborative learning environments
• Can commit to the full weekend schedule

This workshop may not be ideal if you:

• Expect to create a polished, broadcast-ready video
• Prefer working entirely independently ( book a mentoring session instead)
• Need prescriptive step-by-step instruction for every task