The Artist's Date
We’re in the full swing of fall: school’s in session, the holidays are fast approaching, and casting is buzzing again after the summer lull. Even though pilot season is months away, the industry feels like everyone is making up for lost time from their vacations. The days are shorter, but somehow the work days feel longer. It’s easy to start hitting the burnout wall.
So how do you protect your creativity and care for your inner artist when the work feels heavier?
Introducing the Artist’s Date, coined by Julia Cameron in her best-selling book The Artist’s Way, a 12-week course designed to help people unlock their creativity and heal their artistic spirit. Even if you’re not following the full 12-week plan, the “Artist Date” tool is an effective, simple tool to recharge your energy and revitalize your imagination.
As described by Cameron, an Artist Date is a “block of time, perhaps two hours weekly, especially set aside and committed to nurturing your creative consciousness, your inner artist. In its most primary form, the artist date is an excursion, a play date that you preplan and defend against interlopers. You do not take anyone on this artist date but you and your inner artist, a.k.a. your creative child.”
It is tempting to invite others to join on a particularly fun date, but you must maintain the sanctity of the Artist Date. If you wouldn’t invite a third wheel on a romantic date, why let someone else intrude on the time you’ve made for yourself? This is a dedicated time, without distractions, to build your relationship with YOU. And when you nurture and care for YOU, your art will flourish, as you discover what invigorates you and makes your voice stand out.
Pressed for time? Your dates don’t have to be long! “Mini-dates” like a walk around the neighborhood snapping photos of flowers, coloring a dollar store activity book while blasting your favorite music, and making your favorite meal as a kid (even if it’s boxed Mac n Cheese) nourish your creativity. They are a reminder, no matter how small, that your inner artist is safe and valuable.
If you’re finding that you’re consistently too busy to go on Artist Dates, that may be a signal to reassess. Are you overcommitting to projects? Losing hours to doomscrolling? Reclaiming even a small part of that time for yourself will pay off creatively.
Tight on finances? Your dates don’t need to cost a dime. Find free museums in your area. Check out the public library—do they have any fun events coming up? Take yourself to the park and read—maybe something you got from the library? If you don’t want to leave the house, you can listen to a new album of music and draw or dance. Self-care doesn’t need to be expensive to be effective.
As an actor, your body, mind, and soul is your instrument. And like an instrument, you need tuning and frequent care to perform your best. If you’re feeling overwhelmed this week, set aside just 30 minutes to an hour to spend with yourself. When you carve out these little spaces in your day, you tell your inner artist You matter, your creativity matters, and I am here to protect it. Commit to replenishing your inner artist and watch your craft flourish.