【Tahong】

Photo editing app VSCO once birthed the ubiquitous VSCO girl archetype of 2019 (AKA the genesis of the TikTok "clean girl"). But it can Tahongalso be given credit for catapulting filters and the perfectly-curated Instagram grid to greater heights.

VSCO, originally known as VSCO Cam back in 2011, was founded on principles of photography and creativity. Now, the company wants to champion creators further, with a full relaunch and the introduction of VSCO Spaces.

The app's new Spaces feature is being described by the company as "a new way to connect with other creators through shared galleries and visual conversations." Here, creators can make shared galleries centered around specific themes, aesthetics, locations, or events. The whole idea is to get "creative juices flowing" alongside various contributors and fellow VSCO-enthusiasts.

Photographers and users participating in Spaces can then get feedback from others, launch projects and daily prompts, or simply share and observe work.

Each Space will be limited to 15 contributors "to encourage meaningful connections," says VSCO. Only members can create Spaces, but any VSCO user can join one if they've been extended an invite to it.

Any VSCO creative — member or not — can also observe Spaces, even if they aren't a participant, thanks to a view-only mode.

The feature is available for all members starting today, and will be rolled out to the wider community over summer 2022.

"At VSCO, we want to be a conduit for meaningful conversations and connections between creators. That's why we are excited to introduce Spaces," Ashley Robinson, Digital Content Strategy Manager, tells Mashable.

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"We think of Spaces as visual conversations to encourage creators to expand their creative journey - together. Through our research, we know that serious creators crave community, and we're proud to be the platform to bring greater intentionality to how they build that.” 

VSCO said this update, alongside others that comprise the relaunch, is derived from research the company conducted. In 2019, VSCO had 100 million registered users, and in this more recent research, VSCO found that these creators are seeking more ways to connect with other creators.

The tech company is the latest in a string of apps vouching, at least in name, for the importance of supporting creators. After all, where would so many apps be without them?