27/01/2026
Today I was speaking with a few artists who shared how discouraged they’re feeling — the constant applications, formal processes, and the sense of hitting wall after wall when it comes to funding and opportunities.
It made me want to reflect honestly.
From the outside, it can sometimes look like everything I apply for gets funded, or that things always fall into place. The truth is: that’s not always the case.
One of the pieces I’ve invested most deeply in — Joy Isn’t Always Joy — didn’t receive the creation funding it needed. That moment forced me to pause, re-imagine, and really look again at what the work could be.
What carried it forward wasn’t a perfect funding structure.
It was people.
Collaborators, organisations, board members, and individuals who believed in the urgency of the idea and helped find ways to make something real — even without all the resources, time, or security we hope for.
That experience reminded me that no matter where you are in your career — emerging, mid-career, or established — setbacks happen. The journey isn’t linear. Doubt, uncertainty, and discouragement are part of it.
What matters is staying faithful to the idea, building human connections, and allowing people to believe in you when your own confidence is being tested.
Not everything is guaranteed — funding, outcomes, recognition — but what is constant is the importance of getting back up and leaning into your network.
So this is just a reminder:
keep going.
keep re-imagining.
keep trusting the value of human connection.
Sometimes, that belief alone is enough to bring something to life 🤍
