Working on something meaningful is a common desire – but how? We started asking folks to share the story of how they ended up working on a project they felt was meaningful because we wanted inspiration but also because we wondered if hearing from people from across a range of industries would help us identify patterns making it more likely for anyone to be able to find and work on projects that they would find meaningful. 

Ruth McCleskey

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on has been adapting and directing a Houston-set version of An Ideal Husband, reimagined as An Ideal Man. In 1999, Rupert Everett and Minnie Driver starred in a film adaptation of An Ideal Husband, and it never left my mind. Read More>>

Shelly Svonavec

I’ve worked my whole career thus far in 2 worlds- teaching integrated art programs in the classroom, writing curriculum, running professional developments; and making art in my studio, building collections, showing/selling work. While my purpose connected everything I did, it always felt like maintaining 2 different paths as they grew, separately. I desperately wanted to merge the worlds and display how they inform each other. Read More>>

Jessica Faro

One of the most meaningful projects that I worked on recently would be ‘Merry on Main.’ This event started with a simple vision of a real, live holiday tree for the South Main Arts District. After attending many joyful tree-lighting events, I noticed no event had a real tree, so I envisioned having a live tree lighting on Main. Read More>>

Matthew Walsh

When developing personal projects, I often draw from lived experiences—moments and emotions that audiences can genuinely connect with. I believe that storytelling becomes most impactful when it reflects universal human experiences through a personal lens. One project that holds particular significance for me is A Day with Grandpa. This piece centers on a simple yet deeply meaningful day spent with a loved one. Read More>>

Cielo Yane

My mom is a novelist who has always encouraged my sister and I to give her feedback as she writes new stories. One day, she read a passage from her newest novel, and I saw it so clearly in my head that I asked permission to adapt and shoot that segment. She agreed, and became my right hand in the project. Read More>>

Harold Brush

The most meaningful work I’ve been involved in really comes down to two things: my photography and my podcast, ‘The M-Balm Effect’. Both of them, in different ways, are about capturing something real, whether it’s a moment frozen in time or a conversation that needs to be heard. With photography, what drives me is documenting moments and scenes that would otherwise pass by unnoticed. Read More>>

Madison Anderer

I’ve had the opportunity to create my own personal Community Service Initiative called ‘Forget-Me-Not Community Outreach’. I started this project back when I was 13 after my uncle was admitted into an assisted living. Over the past 5 years, I’ve been able to take ‘Forget-Me-Not’ to nursing homes, special needs facilities, and assisted livings across Palm Beach County. Read More>>

Ivonne Jimenez

The most meaningful work I’ve done isn’t just one project, it’s the art I create every day for breast cancer survivors. I specialize in areola tattooing and prosthetic creation, and behind every piece is a woman who has gone through something life-altering. Many of my clients come to me after mastectomies, carrying not just physical scars, but emotional ones too. Read More>>

Bill Burns

I think just cosplay in general has been incredibly meaningful because you give so much back to those who enjoy seeing their favorite characters brought to life right in front of them. To some its reminds them of a time in their life that was a great memory to them growing up or even a current favorite character they enjoy. It’s a wonderful community. Read More>>

Marian L. Thomas

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is my novel, What Love Leaves Behind. This story came from a very personal place—one shaped by loss, resilience, and the quiet, complicated ways we find our way back to ourselves. I wasn’t just writing a book; I was processing experiences, emotions, and questions that don’t always have clear answers. Read More>>

Roger Teng

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on was Toe Tag, directed by Jordon Bolden. As the first short film I ever worked on, it marked an important turning point in my creative journey. The project explored themes of identity and belonging within New York City, drawing from both the city’s cultural history and deeply personal storytelling. Read More>>

Santiago Lopez

A recent meaningful project I worked on was creating illustrations for a children’s book about accessibility in collaboration with an impactful author who is blind. That experience shifted my perspective, not just on how stories are told, but about who they are for. Read More>>

Yvonne Song

I think I’ve worked on a lot of projects I’m proud of, but the most meaningful one to me was when I creative directed and produced a 7-Eleven–inspired, Boiler Room–style DJ set in Shanghai. When the whole pop-up DJ set trend started—especially the rise of Boiler Room–style formats, I kept seeing people doing sets in random locations like cafés or rooftops. Read More>>

Joshua Baldwin

I’ve worked on a lot of personal projects in the past. As an independent filmmaker I’m always coming up with creative ideas for stories. Out of the project’s I’ve directed so far, my most recent short ‘Impulse’ is probably my most personal. It’s an upcoming drama about the way someone’s poor self-esteem and self-hatred can affect the people around us. Read More>>

Christian Bitar

As a student in Prague Film School’s acting program a couple of years ago, I finally worked on my first short film during an elective course after years of only working in front of the camera lens. It didn’t start with one specific moment, but grew organically, piece by piece, like building blocks. Read More>>

VK Management

The most meaningful project we’ve crafted thus far is our event series, “Art in Bloom.” As musicians ourselves, we wanted to create an environment where local artists have the opportunity to share their music and creative work with new audiences in a supportive and welcoming space. Read More>>

Rachel Coltz

One of the most meaningful projects I worked on started as a mural in Italy called Chi muove il mondo — which means ‘Who moves the world’. I worked with young people in a social cooperative to highlight invisible workers — the ones we never see, but who keep society running. What struck me was how many people recognized themselves in that invisibility. Read More>>

Byron Bassett

If I had to narrow down a lifetime of making art to a single project that has been the most meaningful project..It would have to he the creation of the character Humongous Fungus of Urungus, honorary Scumdog of the Universe and my alter ego/artistic outlet. Read More>>