With a routine of work, sleep, family, and other responsibilities, it can feel like there’s little time in the day to search for inspiration.
A roster of inspiring podcasts, however, can change all that. Hitting play on a podcast while cleaning, taking a quick break, making dinner, or commuting can be the few minutes of inspiration you need to feel that creativity start flowing.
We’ve compiled 14 of the best podcasts on creativity to help you feel inspired.
1. The Accidental Creative
Is your creative process something you are constantly thinking about? Or is it something you only address when it feels “off”?
The Accidental Creative podcast, hosted by Todd Henry, proposes that we remain intentional about our process throughout our entire creative workflow. Not only when it’s seemingly not working. To level up your creativity, it’s essential to realize that your process matters.
This podcast is designed to help you understand your creative process. Interviews with successful creatives offer insight into leadership, business, productivity, and thriving as a creative at work.
Listen here: Apple Podcasts
2. Never Not Creative
When creatives come together and establish community, amazing things can happen. Never Not Creative is not just a podcast; it’s a network and community of creatives who want better industry standards and opportunities. The platform includes events, forums, virtual conversations, and even support groups for creative individuals.
A creative career path isn’t always linear, and a network of others supporting your path can help you overcome any challenges.
Hosts Andy Wright and Sarah Nguyen touch on useful and interesting topics for creatives from various industries and backgrounds. Topics range from blending creativity with the business world to finding meaning and purpose in your work and focusing on creative growth.
Listen here: NNC Website and Spotify
3. Creative Rebels – The Podcast for Creatives
Working in an ever-changing creative field can be challenging. In the goal of getting ahead, creative ideas might be neglected in place of fitting in and conforming to a company’s standards.
Adam Brazier and David Speed host this podcast for all kinds of creatives, covering themes that will help you feel inspired and passionate about your creative work. The podcast features a range of topics such as the science of “talent”, finding meaning in your work, networking as an artist, and creating in a era of consumerism.
Creative Rebels is the pep talk creatives need to feel seen, heard, and connected.
Listen here: Creative Rebels on Anchor
4. The Creative Boom Podcast
Were you one of those people who thought it was impossible to make a career out of creative talent and ambition? Maybe you still hear those echoes of doubt, despite being immersed in your craft.
Just listen to these stories of creatives pursuing their dream paths to know that you’re not alone.
Want to hear about a successful designer leaving it all to work as a freelancer? What about the career story of a leading creative at Ogilvy’s? Creative Boom features conversations with artists, designers, illustrators, and more from all over the world. Their stories will surely spark inspiration for creative professionals.
Listen here: The Creative Boom website, Spotify, Apple Podcasts
5. Meet the Creatives
Meet the Creatives host Rob Johnston wanted to create a podcast that could give entry-level (and seasoned) creatives access to the knowledge and experience of leaders and more experienced members of the creative community.
Like a masterclass in whatever field interests you, this podcast gives listeners insider knowledge about industry leaders. Director of photography on The Handmaid’s Tale? Check. Creative director of Instagram? Check. Renowned artists, photographers, designers, and more? Check, check, check. The show features conversations with leaders from major companies like Disney, Marvel, and Facebook.
Listen here: Apple Podcasts
6. On Design
Hosted by Justyna Green, the podcast produces conversations with creators in the art and design space. Listeners hear from people in the thick of it, working in graphic design, illustration, digital art, communications, content marketing, and more.
A recent episode with illustrator Matt Blease touched on the idea of transitioning roles within your career, remembering that things change, and not to take life too seriously.
The podcast also gets into letting go of the fear that pursuing design or art-based careers won’t earn a sufficient income. It’s not always easy, but these creators are proof that it’s possible!
Listen here: On Design Website, Apple Podcasts
7. SuperCreativity Podcast
Creativity isn’t just for people working in artistic roles. Everyone needs to be creative – from analysts to project managers to entrepreneurs and more. SuperCreativity is a podcast that reveals how people in all different industries and roles tap into creativity to find success and growth.
The host James Taylor talks to leaders about topics such as innovation, decision-making, productivity, and collaboration – and how they all need a touch of creative thinking to work. A particularly interesting interview with Dr. Cyndi Burnett gets into the psychology of creative thinking.
Listen here: Spotify, Apple Podcasts
8. Creative Pep Talk
How do you leverage your talent, skills, and creativity into a career that is both successful and fulfilling? Creative Pep Talk is a weekly podcast that aims to answer that question.
The stories shared give creatives insight into how to turn their talent into a lucrative career and business. If you’ve ever felt like you need to be someone else in order to “make it”, this podcast is for you.
Host Andy J. Pizza and special guests give realistic and actionable strategies. With topics such as finding your “voice” in your work and creating things that resonate with audiences, you’ll be on your way to another level of creative confidence.
Listen here: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Creative Pep Talk website
9. Design Matters
Debbie Millman hosts this broad and eclectic podcast dealing with all things design. What started as a small radio show has delivered nearly 500 episodes of creative insight. In-depth interviews and conversations examine creative culture from the perspective of practicing designers, artists, musicians, and writers.
Guests like author James Clear, marketer David Aaker, and writer Alexandra Horowitz give their take on the cultural landscape that designers and other creatives today are working in. What are they doing, and how are they doing it?
Listen here: Design Matters website, Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts
10. A Beautiful Anarchy
What does it really mean to be a creative? No matter how much positive energy, productivity tips, and advice from mentors we take in, the truth is that life as a creator can be messy.
A Beautiful Anarchy, hosted by photographer and author David DuChemin, is about what it really means to be a creative person. It gets real and honest about the struggles we face – be it confidence, time constraints, mental health, or the fear of getting it all wrong.
Check out a recent episode that looked at how we make decisions within the creative process and life. In deciding whether or not to pursue opportunities, projects, or jobs, the episode offers a solid piece of advice: If it’s not a “hell yes!”, it’s probably a no.
Listen here: Apple Podcasts, A Beautiful Anarchy website
11. 99% Invisible
Design isn’t just present in the obvious logos and websites we see on our screens – it’s everywhere, integrated into daily life, city planning, architecture, and more.
Producer Roman Mars brings listeners a weekly exploration of how urban design and creativity work together to map out and create the world around us. Each episode looks at a topic where design may not be the first thing we notice, such as the famous city streets, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, or old-fashioned trains leading through treacherous terrains.
It’s an interesting foray into lesser-known spaces that will inspire creatives, designers, and everyone else.
Listen here: Spotify
12. The Unmistakable Creative Podcast
“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently.” – Rob Siltanen (Apple – Think Different Campaign)
Are all artists rebels? You could at least argue that many creatives need to live outside of societal norms and push the boundaries of what’s typically accepted. Creatives, at the very least, know how to live fearlessly.
This podcast, hosted by Srinivas Rao, gives nuggets of wisdom on society and culture. Interviews with entrepreneurs and icons, whom the show calls “misfits and rebels” look at topics creatives need: identifying good opportunities, the science of motivation, and finding a balance between stability and meaning in your work.
Listen here: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, The Unmistakable Creative website
13. Scratching the Surface
Jarrett Fuller hosts this podcast on the practice of creative design. He interviews creatives from a wide variety of fields, including architecture, literature, academics, and more, to find out how design shapes our culture.
The in-depth conversations take on subjects such as technology, the intersection of human design and nature, and the administrative side of design. A recent episode, for example, featuring James Bridle, looks at the value of cross-medium work in art and design and how AI plugs into that process.
Listen here: Scratching the Surface website and Soundcloud
14. Chasing Creative
Everyone can integrate creative practices into their daily lives, no matter their career or position.
Chasing Creative is a podcast for anyone who wants to be more creative and release their inner artist – whether it’s through a creative side hustle, a hobby, or another area. Creativity can be infused into what you already do or feel passionate about. Creative practices can be combined with daily activities, too, like self-care time, writing, cooking, or travel.
Creativity should be a priority in everyone’s lives, and this podcast shows you how.
Listen here: Apple Podcasts
