6 signals about creative work as we enter 2024

We are officially wrapping up 2023. It’s been quite a year to say the least. At this juncture,I reflect on what I’ve heard and learned from creatives that have come on the podcast this year. What I gleaned from them are emerging signals and trends that tell us a lot about creative work today and the roadmap into the future.

Ready? Let's dive in.

1. Your practice is in your body too.

All faculties of our body are interconnected with our creative process. But in times of stress, we tend to live in our head. Guests on the podcasts this year show us the paths to reconnect with our bodies, and sometimes, through immersing ourselves in nature.

Writer and creative Tendisai Cromwell considers nature an indispensable part of her process of getting inspiration and feeling grounded. Filmmaker and multi-faceted creative Yannis Lobaina starts her morning with what she calls a meditative shower. Yoga teacher and content creator Kyra Tudlong finds healing in gentle movements, and one intentional breath at a time, she has learned that life and the creative process are both nonlinear.

2. Choosing freedom in your practice is a choice, and it looks differently for everyone

We often talk about freedom as this mysterious quality that is always a few steps away from our attainment. In practice, what does freedom mean and look like for each of us? I’ve learned that the answer can vary. For arts nonprofit leader Katie Hutchinson , it means designing a 4-day flexible work schedule that enables her and her team to have multi-faceted creative careers. For science- researcher-turned-fashion-entrepreneur-and-designer Sasha Jadine, it means allowing herself to follow her passion to found her own brand, and unleashing the power of colour and imagination on our often muted winter attire.

3. Listen to the inner calling for tectonic shifts.

Even when everything looks glossy on the outside, if we are not honest with what is going on inside, we might miss the opportunity for a tectonic shift towards a more aligned career set-up for us. Photographic artist Tim Nguyen shares with us what it means to motivate oneself to shift as a creative solopreneur, when no one else is there to provide accountability than oneself. Arts consultant, writer, and producer Ananya Ohri urges us to pay attention to our gut voice, and that precisely when we find our gut is saying nothing back, the resounding silence is speaking loudly about the need for change.

4. Speaking your truth is no longer a nice-to-have.

Honing in our thought leadership in our practice is no longer just a nice-to-have. It is both a way for us to live in alignment with our values, and one of the surest paths for us to cut through the noise, find our own people and community, and sustain our career growth.

Thought leadership coach Cheryl Lau gives us a roadmap to how to dig deep inward and harness our own through leadership. Lucy Mukerjee and Shakira Refos share their journey in developing their career as film program curators by staying true to who they are and challenging the status quo.

5. Compassionate discipline is a thing

We often hear that one needs discipline to practice and deepen one’s craft. That might be true. But what’s even more resonating today is compassionate discipline. Compassionate discipline means being able to provide safety for our needs and at the same time setting up structure to challenge ourselves. It means being kind to ourselves while leaning into the expected discomfort of learning, innovating, and deepening.

Projection mapping artist Emma Lopez Hechem talks about the immaculate attention to details required in crafting a transformative projection experience, and in the process, how she infuses the element of joy and wonder. Musician Robbie Finnegan dedicates a few hours outside of his full time job to his music. He cherishes the co-holding of both worlds - an uplifting full-time job that provides him the foundation to leap, and a practiced routine where he diligently shows up everyday for his music. Craft can mean the craft of arts administration and management as well. Arts nonprofit manager Marta Keller Hernandez gives us a real glimpse of the day-to-day life of being an arts administrator, and her self-care time trick of over-budgeting time required for tasks and schedule in her calendar.

6. Multi-faceted practice is now

You probably notice by now the sheer number of creatives mentioned above who have multiple lanes in their practice, or that they co-hold different universes in their career.

Having a multi-faceted practice is not anything radically new, but it is rapidly becoming the new normal. Gone are the days that we are stuck with one thing to do professionally or creatively forever. Creatives are constantly adapting and evolving. Artist and educator Tara Dorey gets real with us about the ups and downs of managing one’s time when co-developing different lanes in our practice. Consultant, coach and artist Erica Mattson highlights to us the importance of embracing seasonality in our multi-lane practice. Founder of the e-commerce business Plantish Lydia Li shows us how she manages her energy for different bubbles of priorities in her life and work.

To all the guests who have come on the podcast and share their stories, thank you!

I am so grateful to learn from the working creatives of everyday about the trends and insights emerging from our practice and from our collective consciousness and subconsciousness. I look forward to encountering more intriguing faces and voices in 2024 and beyond.

As we carve our creative paths, we don’t need to be alone. That is the spirit of the Everyday Talent Podcast. Thank you for tuning in this year.

If you’re new here, that’s great too. I invite you to go back and revisit these gems that emerged from the past 45 episodes.

And, if you’re wondering how to approach new year planning intentionally, don’t forget to check out this digital planner designed to meet the needs of independent creatives. In fact, as the last episode to close out the year, you get a preview of the audio guide that accompanies the digital planner here.

See you in 2024!

Betty