Artists talking about how they live, how they work, and how they keep going. Mostly in Aotearoa.
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Art and politics aren’t separate. Singing a song, telling a story, or standing on a stage in your vulnerability can be an act of rebellion in hard times. Creativity is how we imagine new ways of being, and it’s often the creatives who show us the paths the old structures can’t see.
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These are conversations with artists at different stages of their lives and careers, talking plainly about what it means to make work and keep going.
There’s no single path here. Some are making a living from their art, others are balancing it alongside jobs, family, or uncertainty. What connects them is the need to create, and the persistence to keep showing up despite doubt, rejection, or the practical realities of the work.
This isn’t about success stories. It’s about process, survival, and the often unseen reality of a creative life.
Don’t step forward. Don’t step back. Stand still. Learn to bring your body to a halt, to rest the mind, to let the noise settle. Because when we stop long enough, the clarity d
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I spend very little time writing, but an inordinate amount of time in my imagination, playing with characters, ideas, and gags.
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I was a bit of a lonely child. Photography gave me a way to exist in my own space and make sense of the world.
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I see everything in film. I hear it, feel it, smell it. When I can taste it, I know I’ve got it.
ReadInsights from our artist community
We laughed for hours, six or seven hours a day, and you would think that would be a challenge, but the body came back in so quickly. It was like this was a perfect tool. A practice
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I went to get a master’s in environmental science and found out I needed to be a poet. Long story, but good ending.
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I want people to enjoy the space, but I also planted it for the animals. It’s about finding that balance.
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I don’t think people should sell their work too early. You need to know what you’re doing first.
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It becomes a compulsion too. When things are flowing, it’s like, ‘Sorry kids, it’s soup for dinner.’ And they’re okay with that. Sometimes I’m painting every day, even
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You can listen to podcasts, you can watch videos, but you only learn this by doing it. You have to get your hands dirty.
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Someone I respected called my work violent. It shocked me. Later I realised, it wasn’t violent. It was male.
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Stories of people living differently have far more impact than facts about climate or biodiversity.
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