How do we nurture the next generation of healthy creatives?

We all know how hard it is to make a living in the creative arts. The ongoing balancing act of funding and opportunity, of networks and maintaining one’s own creative integrity. In this conversation we will speak with veteran creatives, share practical advice for walking the creative road, and reflect on best practice.

A large part of our work is about inspiring the next generation of children and young people to be creative and sparking their interest in creative careers. In this masterclass we will reflect on how we can best support, and advocate for, them to do that in healthy ways.

In this Cultural Sector Masterclass session, you will hear from:

Kevin Kling, Playwright, actor, author, storyteller and cultural advocate.

Shari A. Jessie, a person-centred therapist and one of the first Creative Therapist's to be based at a theatre, Chichester Festival Theatre.

Lerato Stanley-Dunn, Head of Partnership programmes at 64 Million Artists, leading the creation, development and management of new programmes that embed cultures of creativity in collaboration with partners, including the Manifesto for Transformative Workplace Culture.

This Masterclass will cover:

• How we can prioritise our wellbeing.
• How to encourage the next generation of artists to prioritise their wellbeing.
• What healthy can look like in arts organisation and individual practice?
• How to create programmes for children and young people that have wellbeing embedded into their design.
• How to centre wellbeing in the arts and challenge systems that perpetuate unhealthy practices.

This event is particularly relevant for anyone who:

• Wants to hear how artists working in different sectors nurture younger colleagues and artists.
• Is an artist or cultural organisation working with younger creatives.
• Is a creative professional looking to improve their relationship to wellbeing.

This Masterclass will be hosted by by Clare Murphy, a storyteller, speaker and consultant who brings the ancient art of story firmly into the contemporary world where it belongs

This free CPD is a part of A New Direction's Cultural Sector Masterclass 2025-26 series for creative learning professionals to reflect upon and strengthen your practice. This session is only available online and won't be recorded.

Find out more about our Cultural Sector programme.

A New Direction are committed to making all our events accessible. If you would like to attend this event, and require any access support to be able to participate, (i.e BSL interpreter etc) please let us know when you sign up (at least 1 week before the event), and we will do all we can to make this possible.