Unleashing Your Creativity: How "Artist in Your Own Residence" Helps You Overcome Obstacles

Ever wanted to spend more time being creative, but your life gets in the way? Ever felt like giving up when your creative journey gets tough? Ever felt misunderstood by people, discouraged by lack of support, or stuck for ideas?

In today's fast-paced world, many of us harbour creative ambitions that get buried under the weight of everyday responsibilities. We yearn for time and space to nurture our creative sparks but often find these aspirations sidelined by the demands of work, family, and societal expectations. The struggle to balance creativity with daily life can be overwhelming, leaving many feeling frustrated and unfulfilled.

Enter Artist in Your Own Residence (AiYOR), a transformative program designed to help individuals reclaim their creative passions. Pioneered by Seeds Ltd in 2014 and revitalized by the AiYOR community at Founders and Mentors in June 2024, this initiative offers a lifeline to those battling the obstacles that stifle their creativity.

Link ?? Seeds: https://seedscreatives.org

Link ?? AiYOR: https://community.12ronnies.com/share/0chitX5arUVS32Gj

The Concept of AiYOR: A Creative Lifeline

The AiYOR program spans twelve months, running from Epiphany one year to Twelfth Night the next, symbolising a full cycle of creative rejuvenation. It provides a structured yet flexible framework that empowers participants to carve out dedicated time for their creative pursuits. At the heart of AiYOR is the concept of the "soul friend" buddy system, where each participant is paired with a fellow artist. This partnership fosters mutual support, encouragement, and accountability, creating a nurturing environment for creative growth.

AiYOR's definition of "artist" is refreshingly inclusive. It encompasses anyone engaged in a creative project for the marketplace – scientists, inventors, entrepreneurs, and practitioners in media, arts, fashion and entertainment. This broad interpretation acknowledges that creativity is not confined to traditional art forms but is an essential aspect of innovation in various fields.

Real-World Impact: Stories of Transformation

Consider the story of Joanne Bloggs, an unknown aspiring writer from a small town, whose journey mirrors the struggles and triumphs many creatives face. Jane's is writing a novel that, if published, would be a candidate for major literary prizes, a testament to her unique voice and defiance of conventional norms. Despite her talent, Jane's path to success is fraught with challenges. She lacks confidence in her own ability and the pressures she faces in her life from family, friends and her own schedule mean that she never prioritises her writing: she doesn't carve out time to explore and develop her creative gifts.

Joanne's story underscores the importance of a program like AiYOR, which provide the support and encouragement necessary for talents like hers to be nourished into order to flourish. Through AiYOR, participants like Joanne find the courage and resources to pursue their dreams, even when the odds in their personal and professional lives seem stacked against them.

Breaking Down Barriers: Monthly Mentorship and Support

One of the key components of AiYOR is its monthly free online sessions. These sessions introduce the mentoring scheme, explaining its workings and showing participants how they can get involved. The sessions are designed to be accessible and informative, offering insights into overcoming common creative obstacles.

For instance, many participants struggle with time management, finding it difficult to balance creative projects with other commitments. AiYOR's structured schedule helps them allocate specific times for their creative work, making it a manageable part of their routine. The "soul friend" system also plays a crucial role here, as buddies help each other stay accountable and motivated.

Another common hurdle is the lack of a supportive community. Creativity can be a lonely endeavour, and without encouragement, many give up on their projects. AiYOR addresses this by fostering a sense of belonging among participants. The monthly sessions provide a platform for sharing experiences, exchanging ideas, and building meaningful connections. This community aspect is invaluable, offering a network of like-minded individuals who understand and support each other's creative journeys.

Looking Ahead: How to Get Involved

AiYOR is more than just a program; it's a movement aimed at rekindling the creative flame in individuals from all walks of life. As the initiative gains momentum, more people are discovering its benefits and finding ways to integrate creativity into their daily lives.

If you’re ready to embark on your own creative journey, AiYOR invites you to join their next session later today: 19 June 2024 (19:00 hrs BST ? 14:00 hrs EDT ? 11:00 hrs PDT). Book your seat here:

Link ?? Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/artist-in-your-own-residence-onboarding-tickets-893313654187

Bring your artistic and creative gifts and be prepared to learn how you can become part of this inspiring community. The session will provide detailed information on the mentoring scheme, outline the support available, and guide you through the steps to get involved.

Engage with Us: Your Creative Future Awaits

AiYOR invites you to reflect on the broader implications of nurturing creativity. It's a call to action, encouraging you to engage with the discussion and consider how creative support systems can transform not just individual lives, but entire industries.

AiYOR stands as a testament to the power of community and the potential within each of us to overcome creative obstacles. By providing time, support, and a nurturing environment, AiYOR helps individuals realize their creative dreams, proving that with the right encouragement, anyone can become an artist in their own residence.

Are you willing to prioritise time in your busy schedule to exploring your creative gifts?

Calls to Action

1. The Artist in Your Own Residence community at Founders and Mentors is a place to find hang out with other like-minded members in a relaxed, supportive and informal atmosphere, to find sustainable motivation to work on long-held artistic ambitions, to participate in peer-to-peer mentoring partnerships, to make tangible progress with creative projects, and to attend events, both online and IRL. It's a place of encouragement and celebrations: to meet people, network, learn, relax, and be nice to each other. If you would like to join the community for free, please click this link ??https://community.12ronnies.com/share/0chitX5arUVS32Gj
2. The Artist in Your Own Residence community at Founders and Mentors runs an active community at WhatsApp. If you would like to apply to join the conversation and stay in the loop, please click this link ?? https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfg7lUtWbo23cHbLgIGkSz_O_HGE7PhoNRY4KN3lG60cjdOeA/viewform
3. Artist in Your Own Residence is a low-pressure, peer-to-peer mentoring scheme for anyone who thinks of themselves as being creative. If you would like to apply to join the scheme and take part in the program, please click this link ??https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc93v3ZXW9PJ7JLTgmWWNjghkW9N2wPSc0Dc9OZKfRJgRNg7A/viewform
4. Let me know in the comments if you have any suggestions for topics you would like me to cover that would help you in your own artistic journey and creative practice.

Become the artist in your own residence that changes the world!

Christopher Norris