5 Inspiring Podcasts to Listen to When You’re in the Flow State

As an artist with an absolute lack of attention span, I have trouble focusing on a single task at a time. I would love to be able to sit down and read but that has just never come naturally to me. I would much rather be making something. I combat this lack of focus with killing two birds with one stone. I really enjoy listening to podcasts while I’m painting. It’s my favorite way to passively learn and get motivated. Especially when the subject matter is art or art adjacent. Some people say podcasts are for those of us that can’t be alone with our own thoughts. To that I say, DON’T MAKE ME THINK ABOUT THAT RIGHT NOW, HERE IS A LIST OF SOME GOOD ONES.

1. Creative Pep Talk

The Creative Pep Talk podcast is hosted by an incredibly talented illustrator, author, and entrepreneur Andy J. Pizza. He is engaging and charismatic as he talks about what he learned in his self-made career. He takes you through his journey discovering his talent and building his brand from the ground up, as well as the journeys of his other artist colleagues as they are interviewed. This podcast doesn’t take itself too seriously which is difficult for a show that can center around branding and marketing AND art, but somehow Andy pulls it off with his comedy and charm. This podcast truly inspires me to keep going on nights when I feel I have no juice left.

2. Green Dreamer

There is SO MUCH I could say about green dreamer. First being, it is LITERALLY the podcast of my dreams. A podcast that combines environmentalism and creative entrepreneurship. Kamea Chayne firstly refers to her listeners in the first person. “Hello Green Dreamer” Which sort of makes you feel like a superhero, and I think that is the idea. This podcast is for motivated creative people who are socially and environmentally conscious. Kamea interviews environmentalists who are activists, bloggers, conscious business owners, social media influencers, scientists, celebrities and more. Her interviews are thorough with a big focus on letting the guest lead. If you are interested in learning about environmental issues in a way that isn’t fatalist but inspiring, I highly suggest you give it a listen. This podcast has been a long time coming and very necessary right now.

3. Bold Company: A Creative Business Podcast

Amy Eaton even says it herself; this podcast will not teach you how to start your business. Bold company is hosted by Amy Eaton who is a Canadian photographer and business owner. She interviews other creative business owners in a way that’s honest and refreshing. There is talk of the everyday minutia of owning a business, the stresses, and the failures. You would think that may be hard to listen to but in fact quite the opposite, it is fascinating and reassuring to hear about moments outside the highlight reel. There is also a heavy focus on business owners as a community in this show. When your life is your creative business, it can be very isolating and shows like this make you feel like you are a part of something bigger. If you would like a more ‘inside baseball’ look into creative business ownership, here is where you find it.

4. Talk Art

Talk art is NOT a business podcast lol. It is a contemporary art podcast (and it is THE contemporary art podcast) hosted by actor Russell Tovey and gallerist Robert Diament. It is all things art all the time. They interview major contemporary artists, curators and gallery owners. If you struggle to keep up on current artists and art events this is definitely the podcast for you.

5. Art Ed Radio

If I hadn’t had passionate art teachers and art therapists, I honestly don’t know where I would be today. That is why I am fascinated with the field, because you never know where your career will lead you. Being able to connect with young people and teach them a skill is not only rewarding but will guarantee that you will stay with art as a career. Art Ed Radio is hosted by The Art of Education University, and it is a podcast for and by art teachers. Tim Bogats is a high school art teacher and our host. He interviews other art teachers and educators as well as contemporary artist. Topics include student engagement, incorporating digital art in the classroom, curriculum, classroom management, and literally everything and anything in between. If you are an art teacher and you haven’t listened to this yet, WHAT ARE YOU DOING??

Hopefully that is enough to get everyone started. I am a podcast freak and I absolutely love being able to zone out and listen to some amazing content when painting or drawing. Do you have a favorite podcast you listen to when creating? Do you listen to audio books or music instead? Leave those comments down below and tell me your favorite!