You feel it, don’t you? That persistent nudge. Maybe it’s a quiet hum during your commute, a louder buzz during a tedious meeting, or a full-blown yearning when you see truly inspiring work. It’s the feeling that your current path, while maybe stable or even successful on paper, isn’t feeding the most vital part of you: your creative core.
You’re not alone. Many people find themselves in roles that don’t utilize their unique way of thinking, their innate drive to solve problems differently, to build, imagine, and connect. For those with a truly creative brain, this disconnect isn’t just unsatisfying; it can feel fundamentally wrong. As instructor Colleen Finn describes it, being a creative often means being a “compulsive creator,” someone who feels an internal pressure, a need to express and build: “I have to create something every single day or my brain feels like when you are putting trash out and no one’s picking it up.” Trying to stifle that urge in a non-creative job? It’s like holding your breath underwater.
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re contemplating a significant shift – a creative career change. You’re looking for a place where your unique perspective isn’t just tolerated, but celebrated and honed into a professional skill set. You’re looking for The Creative Circus.
More Than Just Different: Finding Your Tribe at the Circus
Growing up or navigating the corporate world as a creative can sometimes feel isolating. You see connections others miss, approach challenges unconventionally, and maybe feel like you “just think differently.” The Creative Circus has always been a haven for these brilliant minds.
Director Berwyn Hung reflects on this unique environment: “I think The Creative Circus, even at the very beginning… has always been a school where people can find other people that are like that, that are just creative at their core and the world doesn’t know what to do with them, but there’s a whole career out there that is made for them… We’re the place where all the misfits can come together and find each other and realize that it’s totally okay.”
This isn’t about conforming; it’s about finding a community that understands your wiring. It’s a space where, as Colleen puts it, you can finally cut the tethers holding you back: “Coming to The Creative Circus is… cut all the things, sandbags gone and your hot air balloon gets to go and you get to be… yourself, turned up to 11.” Imagine being surrounded by peers and instructors who not only get your “weird ideas” but push you to make them bigger, bolder, and smarter.
From Abstract Ideas to a Concrete Creative Portfolio
A major hurdle for career changers is translating innate creativity into tangible skills and, crucially, a professional creative portfolio that gets you hired. This is where The Creative Circus fundamentally differs from traditional academic settings. Our programs – whether in copywriting, art direction, or design – are intensely practical and mirror the realities of the industry.
Advisor and Instructor Neisha Tweed Bell highlights the program’s accessibility for those making a switch: “The fact that you have that first month foundation course to really see what it’s like and understand what the work is like, what the industry is like, what will you be doing? It makes everything just feel so much easier and accessible and achievable.”
This hands-on approach ensures your education directly translates into job readiness. As Instructor Alice Jankowski notes, “The Creative Circus online program relates to job opportunities in the real world because it’s hands-on learning and it’ll be exactly what you’re gonna do in your profession… It’s literally what you’re going to do every day as a creative professional.” You won’t just learn about advertising or design; you’ll do it, week after week, building a body of work that competes with industry professionals.
Finding Your Voice, Building Your Confidence
Maybe you have great ideas, but you struggle to articulate why they’re great, or you lack the confidence to defend your creative choices. The Creative Circus equips you with not just the “how” but the “why.”
Colleen Finn emphasizes this crucial aspect: “What the Circus gives you is a foundation to… give you the confidence to back up what you say and back up all of your design decisions… you can backtrack in your head and have foundational reasons of why this is a smart idea, why it works for your target…”
Developing this strategic underpinning is key. Neisha Tweed Bell explains that effective advertising creativity requires more than just storytelling: “Not everybody is a good creative understanding how to think strategically, understanding how to think about multiple things at the same time. Layers of what does the brand need, what do people need, what does the industry need? … That requires a little bit more than just being a good storyteller, in my opinion.”
Our instructors act as guides, helping students unearth and refine their unique perspectives. Berwyn Hung describes the teaching ethos: “I am a guide for the students… I try to find the potential in my students’ work and show them how to shape that into something that makes for a compelling, engaging concept and execution.” Similarly, Alice Jankowski focuses on nurturing individuality: “I try to not teach a formula… I try to teach a way of thinking so that they can create their own voice… We want their creativity to shine and their voice and their unique style of life and their art to shine through and not be a cookie cutter.”
Staying Relevant in a Fast-Changing Industry
The creative fields are constantly evolving, with new technologies and platforms emerging daily. How does The Creative Circus ensure you’re prepared for the industry now and in the future? Adaptability is built into our DNA.
Berwyn Hung explains the program’s flexibility: “One of the unique abilities that we have with The Creative Circus, unlike the universities, is that we’re super flexible… if we’re finding that we need to get add or change a class, if there’s a new topic that changes, especially with how fast AI changes… we can make those adjustments… we predict that we’ll be updating the curriculum as needed in order to maintain the highest level relevance.”
This commitment means learning not just timeless creative principles but also how to apply them using current tools and understanding contemporary challenges. Neisha Tweed Bell, who teaches AI for Storytelling, notes the importance of this blend: “AI can come up with ideas… but it doesn’t have the taste level or the craft level that somebody that goes to portfolio school has… you need to understand the foundations and the strategies… so that you can continue making good things using any kind of emerging technology.”
Your Investment in Fulfillment: A Career You Love
Making a career change is a significant decision, an investment of time, energy, and resources. What’s the return? It’s more than just a job; it’s the potential for a truly fulfilling professional life where you get paid to think, create, and solve problems in ways that excite you.
Neisha Tweed Bell powerfully states: “You deserve to be happy at work. I believe that we spend so much time at work… that should be something that is helping you feel like I’m being challenged and I’m fulfilled, and it brings me joy… the opportunity to say that like, I like the work that I do and I look forward to going to work every day is a gift that everybody deserves.”
Imagine a career where you get to, as Neisha describes, “make real things… say, I had a thought, I had an idea, and then I was able to sit down and put that together… and put that out in the world.” Or, as Alice Jankowski puts it, finding a career in commercial art and advertising means “you can take the land of misfit toys… and give them a career that involves doing what they love and get dental insurance.” It’s about harnessing that unique creative energy into something sustainable, impactful, and deeply rewarding.
Ready to Unleash Your Creative Potential?
If you’re feeling that pull towards a more creative, fulfilling career, don’t ignore it. That “different” way you think isn’t a liability; it’s your greatest asset. The Creative Circus provides the focused training, the supportive community, the industry connections, and the practical portfolio-building experience to help you successfully navigate your career change into art direction, design, or copywriting.
Stop feeling stuck. Stop wondering “what if.” It’s time to invest in your creative future.
Explore our programs, learn about our unique approach, and take the first step towards a career that truly fits your creative brain. Apply to The Creative Circus today.
*Photo by Luis Villasmil on Unsplash