5 Ways to Sustain Your Creative Ecosystem

5 Ways to Sustain Your Creative Ecosystem

by Becky Murdoch

A Note from the Editor

Creativity doesn't happen in a vacuum. The people we meet, the things we notice, the art we consume,

and the ways we show up for one another all become part of our creative ecosystem.

So how do we keep that ecosystem healthy and growing? Here are five simple ways to start.

Always Stay Curious
It’s so easy to get stuck in a rut, but your creative ecosystem needs fresh material. Try mixing things up a bit and read something outside your field, listen to a band that your friend mentioned that you’ve never heard of, or visit a gallery. Heck, take a different route home and see what you notice.

Make Friends Across Disciplines
We tend to hang out with people who are similar to us. Writers hang out with writers and go to writing events. Same with musicians, filmmakers, painters, designers, and dancers. Each one of those groups tends to approach problems differently. What if you all hung out in the same room? I bet you’d find creative solutions to your creative sticky points. 

Be Generous With Your Support
Go to a show. Read the article. Listen to the song. Give feedback on the film. Share on social media. Ask your friends what they’re working on. Find ways to support your friends; it doesn’t always mean buying something. This goes a long way for relationship building, but it also fuels your creativity. 

Let Yourself Be Influenced
So much of the time, we create in bubbles in order to protect our creative identity. It’s okay to be influenced by others. Let other artists, cultures, disciplines, eras, and ideas change you. View influence as part of the creative process rather than a threat to originality. 

Be the Ecosystem You Want to Find
We don’t build relationships only when you need a collaborator, recommendation, audience, or favor. Healthy creative communities aren’t transactional. If you want the collaboration, collaborate. If you want encouragement, encourage. The creative environment you're looking for often begins with what you contribute to it.

Continue Your Creative Journey

Your creative ecosystem grows through collaboration, connection, and the people who help you bring your biggest ideas to life.

If you're looking for an online artist community where writers, filmmakers, musicians, visual artists, and creative entrepreneurs encourage one another and stay accountable to their goals, we'd love to welcome you to Epiphany Space.

Inside our creative community membership, you'll find:

• Weekly coworking sessions
• Peer mentorship groups
• Creative workshops & retreats
• A supportive community that helps you keep creating
  

BECKY MURDOCH
Becky loves gathering people and creating opportunities for artists of all kinds to share their work. Based in the Detroit suburbs, she can often be found working from a local library or coffee shop.  She serves as Epiphany Space's Director of Community & Development and Editor of The Spark.  She loves movies, live music, and pretty much any excuse to bring creative people together.

RELATED ARTICLES: Keep Exploring Your Creative Ecosystem

• 5 (Free) Ways To Support Your Artist Friend
• Rediscovering Our Creative Playground at Epiphany Space
• Epiphany’s Legacy of Creativity, or, Why You Should Give Us Your Money

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT IS A CREATIVE ECOSYSTEM?

A creative ecosystem is the network of people, relationships, resources, collaborators, and opportunities that surround an artist and support their creative work. A healthy creative ecosystem can help artists grow, collaborate, solve problems, and bring ambitious projects to life.

Why is a creative community important for artists?

A creative community gives artists opportunities for connection, collaboration, encouragement, feedback, and accountability. Working alongside other creatives can also introduce artists to people and resources they might not encounter on their own.

How can artists expand their creative network?

Artists can expand their creative network by participating in creative communities, attending events, collaborating on projects, joining groups, and reconnecting with people they've worked with in the past. Sometimes the people already in your extended network are more willing to collaborate than you realize.

How can artists find collaborators for a creative project?

Artists can find collaborators through creative communities, professional networks, local arts organizations, social groups, workshops, events, and past creative relationships. Reaching out to people you've worked with before can also uncover unexpected opportunities.