We think the world needs more artists, more creatives and more folks unwilling to spend their days as a cog in a giant corporate machine. We don’t necessarily dislike cogs or machines but we think the world clearly needs more artists and creatives and so we wanted to try to figure out how more artists can make it work financially since this is one of the major obstacles blocking so many artists and creatives from pursuing their art full time. So, we asked folks who have been able to make a full time living through their creative work, how they did it.

Tim Harbour

I’ve been 100% freelance since I graduated in 2013. When I started college, I had no idea what I wanted to do as a career and I was working full time at a skate shop. I took a videography class for fun, and decided after a few classes that this was going to be the path that I pursued. Read More>>

Tessa Hoang

Absolutely, I’ve been able to earn a full-time living—and so much more—from my creative work as a permanent makeup artist. But let me tell you, it wasn’t like that from day one. My journey to get here was a mix of risk, resilience, and relentless hard work. Read More>>

Sam Qavah John

I don’t. I chose to answer this question because it is not a given. It is not something most people get to do and it took me a long time to find peace in that reality. I wanted to make money doing what I love. Is that so much to ask for? Yes, in my story it was and is. But, I still get to create! I get to have a full-time job as an Operations Manager and create when I’m not doing that. How special and amazing is that! This answer is not going to be long-winded and complex. If you love making art, not getting paid for it should be the last thing stopping you. Read More>>

Aubrey “siga” Mamaid

If I knew what I know now about living off a dancer’s wage in Los Angeles, I would tell my younger self…you sure? I am the first in my family to make a full-time earning from dance. I come from a culture where white-collar jobs have always been paralleled to success. I come from a background where all my relatives are professionals in the medical field or proficient with numbers and accounting.  Read More>>

Nik Flagstar (dudley)

I definitely could have sped up the process, as I was always a part-time musician, even while working my day-job as a Field Archaeologist. Early in my adult life I worked in the hospitality industry and would tour with a band in my off time and locally on days off. When I became an Archarologist it opened up even more time for music as an avocation. Read More>>

David Ramos

First off, thanks for the invitation to share my story! To preface, I specialize in a unique little flute called the “ocarina.” You might know it from Nintendo’s Legend of Zelda series, which is how I discovered it. After learning it was a real instrument, I completely fell in love with it. Read More>>

Henry Truitt Harshaw

It was definitely not like that from day one, but I’ve steadily been able to grow my business (Harsh Studios) and earn a living. I’m a filmmaker, and I’m planning to make my first narrative feature soon, but in the meantime I’ve been able to earn a living doing creative work adjacent to my eventual goals: shooting commercials for small brands, doing headshots and video reels for models and actors (and anyone else who needs them), renting out my studio to other photographers and filmmakers and assisting on their shoots (a great way to make money and connections) and taking short term jobs in film/commercial production. Read More>>

 Jason Turner

I will start with I am nowhere close to being able to live comfortably as a full time artist, and like many creatives I am infatuated with that idea. Waking up, making something from nothing, and being compensated handsomely. What could be better? Read More>>

Jake Bartlett

I’ve been self-employed since 2022 and have a few different income streams from creative work. Music is one of those income streams, and within that, I’ve toured as a drummer, played on recording sessions, and produced artists. Outside of music, I have a freelance writing business where I create content for businesses. Read More>>

Carrington Clinton

For the most part, I am self reliant on my earnings from my career as a musician. At times, things aren’t that pretty or glamorous, but throughout the year, I am able to make it work and grind it out. Obviously then, there are times that flourish. It’s an up and down thing of living off the earnings as a musician but at the end of the day, I love making music and wouldn’t trade it for the world. Read More>>

 Jason Draven

Having the ability to play music full-time means that you need to keep yourself busy. Whether you’re learning, writing, recording, gigging locally, or on the road touring, there are many outlets to take advantage of being a musician. At the age of 19, I chose to drop out of my sophomore year of college to go full-time with music. Since then, I’ve truly been my own boss – making my own schedule and choosing the path that best suits me. Read More>>

Riley Anderson

For the last 3 years I have been able to earn a full-time living solely on writing, releasing and performing music. For the first 8 years, I was balancing performing with working full-time on the railroad as a locomotive engineer. I beat myself up sometimes, feeling like I waited longer than I should have to take that leap of faith, but I now realize that everything happens when it is supposed to. Read More>>

Danielle Wooldridge

I have been earning a full-time living from tattooing since 2018, although I took a hiatus for a few years, from late 2021 to early 2024. My journey as a visual artist spans over 20 years, during which I explored everything from textile design to graphics and street art. Within that time, my path to earning a full-time living doing ceremonial tattooing was, without my understanding, always being paved. Read More>>

Geoff Mclachlan

Being able to call oneself a “Professional” in any category is an accomplishment. The Professional is different than the hobbyist in that they have failed more times than the hobbyist has even tried. Look at any profession and they make things look easy. This is because they have dedicated thousands of hours to their craft, whatever that may be. Read More>>

Kelsee Thomas

Finally, after years of trying to find a way, I can say that I earn a living from my creative work! This has definitely been a journey, but honestly, I don’t think I could’ve done anything differently to speed up the process of making it where I am today. I needed a lot of that strife to learn from my mistakes and actually test if it was something I really wanted. Read More>>

Julia Scheckel

I make most of my living from my creative work! My income is split three ways right now: I sell my artwork, manage an arts nonprofit, and manage an office. Diversifying my income streams has worked well for me. This lifestyle also keeps things interesting and I’m luckily the type of person that can juggle three jobs. It’s definitely not a lifestyle for everyone though. Read More>>

Jerome Hill

In the thirteen years I’ve considered myself a professional, I can say that it was about six years ago that I began making a full-time living off of my work in live entertainment, and I haven’t looked back! I had my fair share of dead-end jobs, and my last one was a call-center for alcohol distribution. It was a soul-sucking place that thrived on misery. Read More>>