Kindness in the creative industry often gets reduced to pleasantries and politeness. But real kindness, the kind that actually makes a difference, lives in the unglamorous details. How you handle a difficult conversation. Whether you stand in the way of someone’s career progression or support and encourage it.
We asked creative professionals to share practical examples of how they build genuine kindness and empathy into their daily routines via our own private social network, The Studio. And their responses revealed something far more valuable than vague virtual signalling.
Instead, we got a range of specific, actionable advice for building more humane practices into an industry that too often rewards speed over consideration. We share the best tips below, while you can read the full discussion at The Studio. (Not joined yet? Do so now, it’s free!)
Don’t be a pushover
We should start by saying that the creative industries can be tough, and you often need to stand your ground. So it’s important not to conflate kindness with being a pushover.
For example, as pattern designer and illustrator Sally Purser points out, it’s important to acknowledge people and their opinions. But that doesn’t necessarily mean agreeing with them. It simply acknowledges that they have a right to a different point of view.
“Always be open to honest, but positive, communication,” she says. “You can still tell someone they’ve got it wrong in a positive way.
Sally recently navigated a difficult project situation that brought this point home. When a well-meaning but overwhelmed client proved impossible to work with, she didn’t ghost them or complain publicly. Instead, she clearly explained her boundaries.
“I said I wouldn’t be able to take on a second project of that scale for that fee, but would happily discuss options with them,” she explains. The relationship ended gracefully, with no one hurt.
Supporting each other
Kindness is also about supporting other members of the creative community. That’s why story coach and strategist Baishali Johal makes a practice of sending unsolicited appreciation.
As she explains, “Whenever I see someone whose work I really like, I shoot them an email saying something along the lines of, ‘Hey, I found your work at X place. Congrats on the feature. Here’s what I liked the most about your work. You’re killing it.’ I don’t expect these people to support my work in any way; I just hope that it makes their day.”
Similarly, graphic designer Rhaby K recommends “taking time to look at projects on creative platforms that have seemingly been ignored and just liking them and giving encouraging comments. Being considerate and thoughtful is about remembering that everyone is going through something or other.”
Money talks louder than words
Of course, kind words alone won’t pay the bills. So Daniel Poll, founder at Noramble, has built kindness directly into his business operations. “We make sure we pay freelancers within minutes of receiving an invoice,” he says. “I see so many struggle with getting paid and having to chase it, which everyone hates. So we’ve always had a policy that all our freelancers get paid within 30 minutes of sending an invoice… unless we’re sleeping.”
Equally, Daniel practises empathy with clients. “Sometimes, things change; direction changes, late invoices, last-minute changes, scope creep,” he acknowledges. “When these things happen, you need to have empathy for them and crack on with the job, without taking to social media to blast them or sending extra invoices for extra work that probably only takes 30 minutes.”
Share what you know
One of the common things we encounter that’s the opposite of kindness is gatekeeping. Photo retoucher and creative artworker Sandrine Bascouert has strong feelings about this. “It doesn’t even make business sense to keep one’s secrets,” she reasons. “I’ve gained clients by explaining, to those interested, what I do, and how I do it.”
In particular, Sandrine challenges the binary language around being self-taught. “The term is not the same thing as saying someone hasn’t followed an academic path,” she points out. “We’ve all learned because someone decided to share.”
Consequently, she feels it’s only right that you share your own knowledge whenever you have the opportunity to. “If someone asks for advice and I can answer, I will. If I can’t, I will try to find a link to someone who can. It’s about being less of a ‘diva’ and acknowledging that we all owe it to other people to be where we are.”
Branding designer and graphic designer Kosho Sugiura adds that information-sharing is a form of respect. “When outsourcing to external partners, we always share the background and rationale behind the work: ‘Who will see this design?’ ‘Why this direction?’ ‘What are the client’s primary concerns?’ Understanding the context reduces errors and speeds decision-making. This ultimately cuts workload and fosters longer-lasting relationships. Kindness also means enhancing the transparency of information.”
Emotional intelligence
When it comes to sharing information and advice with new designers, designer and artist Matthew Gallagher points out some nuance. “Providing feedback or guidance to a new designer is a series of small steps for little victories that build to larger ones over time,” he says. “Allowing the space to fail and learn is more important to growth than just succeeding all the time.”
He’s also learned that recognition needs to be personalised. “Not everyone wants the spotlight, and many creatives tend away from it to allow their work to speak for itself. Understanding how they wish to be celebrated, in public or private, is another level of intimacy in that relationship that builds strong ties.”
Like many things, appreciation is best done little and often, and Pamela Gold, founder and editor at DomaChroma, has made it a daily practice. “I give an honest and true work compliment to everyone I meet,” she says. “It makes me happy, and creates connection, respect and joy. Once you start practising this, your entire outlook improves. Actively looking for the good in others, and sharing your thoughts, changes your perspective.”
Key takeaway
What emerges from these responses is that meaningful kindness in the creative industry isn’t about being nice per se: it’s about being thoughtful, responsive and fair.
It’s about paying people promptly, sharing information freely, and having difficult conversations with honesty and care. It’s also about recognising that everyone in this industry is navigating their own challenges, often invisible to others.
Building kindness into your daily routine means creating workflows, contracts and business practices that acknowledge this reality. Not just in theory, but in the everyday details of how we work together. No empty gestures required.
