The world needs artists and creatives. Unfortunately, being needed doesn’t often easily translate into financial stability. The struggle is real for so many incredibly talented artists and creatives and so we think it’s important to hear from creatives who have made it work – there is so much to learn from the folks we’ve featured below.

Christian Holland

If you’re anything like me, earning a full-time living from your creative work is an art form in and of itself. Navigating the realms of artistry, business, and survival in modern society can be a daunting reality to juggle for many of us, no matter where we are in our artistic journey. After almost a decade of creative experience, I’ve developed some personal philosophies that help me stay afloat. Read more>>

Tyler Porterfield

Fortunately, I’ve been able to earn somewhat of a full-time living in the music industry. It hasn’t happened overnight.Reflecting on my life, I realized early on that music would be my primary focus. It has always been my passion and has consumed much of my time and thoughts. Read more>>

Michael Gulezian

pure and simple: there was never any doubt that music would be my life, and i’d do whatever it took to make it happen. Read more>>

Gayle Kabaker

I’ve always been a freelancer ever since I graduated from art school at 22 years old. I would take any art-related job I could to pay my bills. I also went into debt to borrow money to take out ads in sourcebooks when that was the best way to get work. sometimes you have to spend money to make money. Read more>>

Naude Heunis

Yes, I’ve been able to earn a full-time living from my creative work, though it wasn’t immediate from day one. My journey began with foundational training in film school as a director of photography. Read more>>

Roxana Rojas-Luzon

While Roxana and her husband Fred were looking for a location to open “We ART Fun” for the first time, the CDC issued federal quarantine. It was January of 2020. That was the beginning of the story. Read more>>

Cynthia Lin Maram-Wong

Yes, I’ve absolutely possessed the ability to live work in a creative environment and job full-time outside of a 9m to 5 schedule in an office atmosphere for over 10 plus years or more. Read more>>

Mandy Madsen

I am blessed to be able to make a living being an artist and small business owner. I own Frameworks Gallery, a custom picture framing shop and art gallery in Highland Park St. Paul area. I have been framing for 11 years and owner for 6. I value other artists and promoting their work through my gallery. I am an artist myself and am inspired by nature and my faith. Read more>>

CJ Ballin

I only realized four years ago that music would be something that I would love to do full-time because I love seeing people get lost in the melody. At first, I just posted a couple of songs to SoundCloud. I started distributing my music to music platforms and marketing through social media. Right now I am attending open mics and booking venues in Denver to create more of a local audience that is in tune with my music. Read more>>

Michelle Romo

I have been working as a designer since the start of my career. There have been highs and lows, and it wasn’t always glamorous, but I feel really fortunate that I’ve always been working in my field of choice. Read more>>

Matt Graff

People outside of the music industry generally have two concepts of a “musician” in their heads. One is a rich and famous rock star on magazine covers, and the other is the starving artist living hand to mouth, barely able to support themselves. However, there’s a whole “middle class” of us that goes largely unrecognized, and I’d argue that the bulk of us exist somewhere in that category. Making career in that “middle class” does not come with a manual, and each of us has a unique path that got us to where we are. Read more>>

Renata Cuellar

Earning a full-time living in the creative work is definitely possible! I feel that each career journey has its challenges. The art field is one of them! It is most certainly not easy. However, I feel in this day in age it is more possible. Read more>>

Lily Joiner

My journey as a creative in the full-time work force is relatively new, (about 4 years now), but over all I feel like I have been able to make a full time living with different aspects of my creative work! Overall, the main takeaway I’ve gained from my creative work journey is to be flexible and to be open to new opportunities and types of creative jobs. Read more>>

Christian Mejia

Though the road has really taken its twists and turns, I’m very lucky to have been able to earn a full-time living from my theatrical work from fairly early on in my career. After I graduated with a BFA in Production Design at NYU, I puttered around New York, trying to break into the type of theatre that could someday pay the bills. Read more>>

David Márquez

I’ve always tried to work full-time from my creative work, as a Celebrity Stylist. At first it was more difficult to live 100% from my work, because when I finished my studies in fashion, I had no contacts in this sector. Read more>>

A.J. Campbell

I founded The Quarantine Players during the pandemic as a response to the sudden halt in the theater industry. It was a platform for artists to continue their craft and for new plays, especially my own, to be read and critiqued. Read more>>

Bill Wesley

I was initially interested in developing a polyphonic synthisis system in the 70’s when those did not exist yet. I went to the Project for Music Experiment funded by the Ford Foundation at UCSD at La Jolla California to interest them in a routing keyboard that I had concieved of that would have had 8 voices, each assigned to a monophonic mini moog. They were not interested. Read more>>

Bryan Ricke

Yes! I finally can say I earn a full-time living from creative work, but it took years to be able to do so. I started filming and editing in High School and continued making short films through my college career. I got into multiple schools, but was rejected from the film programs I applied to. Read more>>

Ninah Turner

I was fortunate enough to earn a full-time income from my creative work right after completing art school. However, when I returned to the United States after studying at the University of Arts London, I felt a bit lost and unsure how to break into the art world. Read more>>

Shalom “J.Storm” Miller

Turning my passion for music into a full-time career that I can earn a living from has not been the easiest process and still remains challenging, even to this day. I earned my first money from Music when I was 18 years old and creating beats at the youth entertainment academy in Plainfield, New Jersey . Read more>>

Adam Sward

“Won’t it be great? When we’ve both finally made it?” The man on the other end of the phone call was a comedian that had hired me to do some art for an upcoming album he was releasing through Stand Up! Records. It was raining, and I was sitting on the three season porch of a house I had recently started renting a few miles north of downtown Saint Paul. Read more>>

Fransua Durazo

When Covid put me out of work, waiting tables, I turned to what I do best and that was creating content. In a world that was shutting down, many of us creatives and non creatives were seeking a new way to work virtually and how the work can be productive and presented through a screen while still meeting company goals. Read more>>

Travis Nesbitt

Honestly, I never gave myself another option. From a very young age, I knew that I would pursue a life in the performing arts. I was very aware how difficult the industry was, but I believed in my talent and had a lot of ambition so I’ve always kept blinders on and have never lost focus. Read more>>

Michael Rose

It really was not too long ago I use to tattoo my friends as a hobby. I never thought I’d be able to succeed or be good enough to actually pursue this as a full time job that pays my bills. I had tried back in the day, and was rejected time and again. Read more>>

Sally Seligman

From hobby to teaching in a university, I have always done what I thought would allow me to stay independent and share my skills with others. Read more>>

Austin Young

I am the Studio Manager for a photography and video studio in Fort Worth Texas called Blanc Cowork and Studio as well as a Media Specialist for a full service production company, Arcpoint Studios. (Both are ran by the same team) We specialize in branded content for a variety of clients. American Airlines, Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Cubs, 7-11, Smirnoff to name a few of the brands that we’ve worked with. Read more>>

Olasunkanmi Ogunade

Starting out as a professional photographer wasn’t easy. At first, I had to work multiple jobs to keep my passion alive. During the day, I would devote my time to capturing images and tweaking them on digital platforms to make them as compelling as possible. After a long day, I would spend my nights in my small studio, where I could freely explore my imagination and refine my skills. Read more>>

Federico Conforti

I consider myself fortunate to have transitioned into earning a full-time living from my work, and I still feel lucky to support myself and my family doing something I love. However, this journey wasn’t an instantaneous leap. In the early years, I faced financial challenges and had to take on various jobs to make ends meet. Read more>>

Kristen Meyers

It has been a journey to get where I am today, earning all of my money doing what I love. And to not only earn that money in order to survive but to thrive on what I do best, which is music and working with the voice. Read more>>

NOVA ONE

I’m currently a full time musician and feel really fortunate and privileged to be able to make a decent living from my art. It’s taken a lot of years and trial and error to get here. At the moment, I tour professionally with my band NOVA ONE and I also teach private piano and songwriting lessons. Read more>>

Shari Afuso

I’m 22. I’m fresh out of college with a Fine Arts degree. I’ve been called in for an interview for a web design job. He says, “We pay $15/hour here. But since you’re so new, I’ll pay you by the project instead. I pay really well, so I’ll pay you $800 to design a brochure for me.” Read more>>

Brian Davis

It’s been a rewarding challenge to play music almost exclusively and making a living at it but the journey has just begun. Read more>>

Kayla Mutterer

Hello all you beautiful humans, for those of you who do not know me, my name is Kayla Mutterer. I grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina. This is where I began my dance training at the age of two. I began my dance training at Charlotte City Ballet and then later at Piedmont School of Music and Dance, I trained intensively in their young dancer and pre-professional track programs. Read more>>

Kelsey McKenzie

Hi there, I’m Kelsey! Currently, I work in the Arts District as a graphic designer, in downtown Los Angeles, as well as owning and operating my own small business. It’s been quite the journey to get here despite always knowing I was creative with a deep passion for the arts. Read more>>

Benjamin Russell-Lynch

If you would’ve told me that I would be earning a full-time living by playing “pretend” while streaming on an application on my phone I probably would’ve looked at you like you had lost your mind. But you would be correct! Much like everyone else I joined tiktok during the pandemic. Read more>>

Marisa Torrieri

Following your heart is harder than it sounds, but over the last decade, I’ve created a fulfilling, profitable life as a writer, guitar teacher, and founder of Rockmommy. Read more>>