The Conscious Creative: Practical Ethics for Purposeful Work

An actionable guide to mindfulness and practical ethics for any creative professional who wants to make a living without selling their soul.

It can be difficult to live according to our values in a complicated world. At a time when capitalism seems most unforgiving but the need for paying work remains high, it is important to learn how we can be more mindful and intentional about our impact ― personal, social, economic, and environmental.

As designer and creative director Kelly Small had to do to navigate a crisis of ethics and burnout in their career in advertising, we can admit our complicity in problematic systems and take on the responsibility of letting our own conscience guide our decisions.

Start with one or many of these 100+ rigorously researched, ultra-practical action steps:

• Co-create and collaborate
• Get obsessed with accessibility
• Demand diverse teams
• Commit to self-care
• Make ethics a competitive edge
• Be mindful of privilege
• Create for empowerment, not exploitation

With a humorous and irreverent tone, Small reveals how when we release unnecessary judgement and become action-oriented, we can clarify the complicated business of achieving an ethical practice in the creative industries. Discover the power of incremental, positive changes in our daily work-lives and the fulfillment of purposeful work.

KELLY SMALL (they/them) is an award-winning creative director, designer, educator, and bestselling author whose career is defined by advancing ethical, inclusive, and sustainable creative practice. Founder of Intents & Purposes, Kelly has become a leading voice on practical ethics in the creative industries.

They hold an interdisciplinary Master of Design from Emily Carr University, where their research into the ethics of commercial creative practice earned the Governor General’s Gold Medal. Through their work, Kelly challenges creative professionals to pair ambition with responsibility and to shape culture with intention.