The Creative Condition podcast

Public services budget cuts. Free public space built on, sold off, privatised. Poverty rising. Violent crime soars. The mental health crisis deepens.2022 UK is a fierce place to grow up in 2022 if you are born into a fight. Without love, kindness, money, or guidance, bad things happen. We know this. The research supports what we already see and know and yet education continues to allow these unfortunate young people, who are all of our futures, to fall into the cracks.Too many of them end up in various secure children's units, where great work is being done to give them a chance of rebuilding broken lives.I'm joined by an unnamed head of home from one of the units to discuss her experiences of using creativity, care, and respect to tune into young people who have suffered and caused suffering when it need not be this way.It's a fascinating look at why further punishment and demonisation are not the way, and why a broader life education is essential for those who have not had a good start in life.Please subscribe and review to support The Creative Condition for free, and visit the founding sponsor of the show, Illustration X at https://illustrationx.comhttps://bentallon.comhttps://www.instagram.com/bikestormz.co.uk/?hl=enhttps://www.duy.org.uk/https://www.yuaf.org/

Kerry Lyons shares an all too familiar story of chasing success on the wrong terms before changing direction for the better.As a coach for creatives, Kerry helps people change their narrative and break from ties to old lives, careers, and false beliefs about their personalities and capabilities.She provides some superb tips for those feeling any level of dissatisfaction, or simply wishing to streamline their own creativity.Today's show is supported by illustration and animation agency IllustrationX. Visit them at https://illustrationx.comhttps://www.kerrylyons.com/https://www.instagram.com/iamkerrylyons/https://bentallon.comhttps://bentallonwriter.com

In September 2006 began one of the toughest spells in my creative industry career. It was the big monstrous 'before' bit. Suddenly cut off from tutorial input, peers, and credible workspace after 7-years in full-time arts education, I lost all sight of the dream freelance illustration career while working a full-time job, completely demotivated. This is detailed in chapter 4 of 'Champagne and Wax Crayons: Riding the Madness of the Creative Industries.' My debut memoir, a book about turning creativity into a career will soon be released in a new e-book format, so here is a reading of Chapter 4: 'Welcome to Freelancing.'I hope it will help all you new, soon-to-be, or once-upon-a-time graduates in some way, or at least make you laugh.https://www.bentallonwriter.com/shop/p/champagne-and-wax-crayons-riding-the-madness-of-the-creative-industrieshttps://illustrationx.comhttps://bentallon.comhttps://twitter.com/bentallon

The first of a new series of articles written for design week, brought to you in audio format by The Creative Condition, supported by Illustration X.We kick off this new series exploring creativity's capacity for catharsis in the face of seemingly constant bad news and its destructive impact on our moods.Read in full at https://designweek.co.ukhttps://bentallonwriter.comhttps://bentallon.comhttps://illustrationx.com

Dotto founder, designer, and artist Dani Molyneux joins me to discuss the importance of visual communication's role in turbulent times. During the pandemic, while juggling work and homeschooling, Dani began to make her own work for personal reasons, in response to political and social triggers. The work sets a wonderful example of the power of the personal and offers a timely reminder that our role in inspiring positive change is key.Check Dani out, and sign up for her new Domestika course at: https://www.dotto.studio/The Creative Condition is hosted by Ben Tallon at https://bentallon.comThe show is supported by and Ben is represented by htts://illustrationx.comhttps://twitter.com/bentallonhttps://instagram.com/bentallonhttps://bentallonwriter.com

Why personal passion projects are vital as a creative compass - stylistically, building identity, and stating intent.I have so many stories of unexpected doors opening, unlikely relationships, and even building my identity as an artist in the first place, so here they are, told through a career-to-date worth of personal projects that worked, or didn't work in the best way.If you liked this, episodes 147/8 discuss some stunning passion projects by others.Supported be https://illustrationx.comhttps://bentallon.comhttps://bentallonwriter.comhttps://instagram.com/bentallon

I'm joined by firefighter Joe Brady to discuss the creative thinking required to succeed in a job action-packed with intensity, unpredictability and high emotions. While not traditionally considered a creative profession, there are many wonderful takeaways and stories that will make you laugh, cry and shudder.https://illustrationx.comhttps://bentallon.comhttps://twitter.com/bentallonhttps://instagram.com/bentallonhttps://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/firefighter

Agency coach and marketing expert Oliver Duffy-Lee joins Ben Tallon to talk about promotion and marketing for freelancers, agencies, and why the latest government marketing advice is utterly ludicrous to anyone who understands economics and marketing, especially in the creative industry.Visit the Authority Agency website: https://www.authorityagency.co.uk/Oliver Duffy-Lee on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliverduffylee/Illustration X, show sponsor home: https://illustrationx.comBen Tallon illustration: https://bentallon.comBen Tallon Author site: https://bentallonwriter.com

Why I'm donating 25 copies of my creative industry book to schools and public libraries, and why I believe the creative industry needs to try counter arts, youth services, and arts education cuts.The show is supported by Illustration X: https://illustrationx.comhttps://bentallonwriter.comhttps://bentallon.comhttps://twitter.com/bentallonhttps://instagram.com/bentallonhttps://instagram.com/bentallonwriter

Working from home. In the office. In the studio. In the pub. Cafe dweller. Out of our minds. Happy days.The environment we put or find ourselves in is a defining variable in our creative flow. But do we really pay enough attention to the effect of our surroundings on our energy, feelings, thoughts, and productivity?I sit down and share some stories about the good, bad, and bizarre of past workspaces as I prepare to move into a newly built garden studio space.This episode is supported by Illustration X at https://illustrationx.comhttps://bentallon.comhttps://bentallonwriter.comhttps://twitter.com/bentallonpodhttps://instagram.com/bentallon