Artistic and creative careers are among the most rewarding, but they also come with unique challenges. We asked some of the city’s best creatives to tell us why they choose to pursue a creative career.

Chris Kasmar | Graphic Artist & Illustrator

For me, it wasn’t really ever a choice. From a young age, my parents encouraged my twin brother and I to be creative. Once we realized we could do that everyday, AND GET PAID, there really wasn’t any other decision to be made. From there, being a creative has been my North Star that has ultimately guided my path. I think I would be pretty lost without my creative endeavors. Read more>>

Kasey Galik | Interior Designer, Creative.

Like many creatives, I believe we are innately driven to turn our artistic passions into careers.
Traditional schooling never appealed to me, I was easily sidelined by the structure and monotony of lessons, yearning instead for a space to create. I realized that pursuing a traditional education and career wasn’t for me, prompting me to take a creative route. Initially, I worked as a hairstylist and explored some corporate roles, but ultimately found them unfulfilling. Read more>>

Oriana Ireland | Music Producer and Poet

Although it doesn’t provide me with a primary source of income at the moment (I am just beginning my journey in music production), I have chose to pursue this pathway for a plethora of reasons. The main reason being that I have been a musician my entire life. Music has provided me with the strength to move forwards in dark times, it has taught me discipline, it makes me cry, it makes me laugh, it makes me feel emotions that lack words to describe. I have always been a creative mind. Read more>>