Graham Fink: why I’m bringing back TheArtSchool

Twenty years ago, I started TheArtSchool.
Usually a half-day, in random locations, helping students trying to break into the creative fields.
Kinda like a creative boot camp.
We had guest speakers from advertising, design, film, acting, and comedy.
There was tough talk. Great advice.
And the energy levels were through the roof.
Now, after a 15-year hiatus, I’m bringing it back.
And I believe the timing couldn’t be more critical.
Something’s off in the creative world right now.
We talk a lot about innovation, but there’s a worrying lack of original thinking.
A dearth of bold ideas. A fear of risk.
The way creativity is taught in schools — or more often, not taught at all — should concern anyone who cares about the future of our industry.
Young creatives are entering the world armed with software skills and self-branding, but too often missing the spark that makes work unforgettable.
And now, on top of that, there’s AI.
For the next generation, it’s both a tool and a threat.
They’re anxious. Wondering what creativity means when machines can remix everything that came before.
How do you stand out in a world where everything looks like everything else?
TheArtSchool isn’t here to give all the answers.

But we’ll ask the tough questions.
And we’ll create a space where the most important currency still is, and always should be, ideas.
This isn’t just about advertising.
It’s for anyone working in the messy, beautiful world of creativity.
Designers. Filmmakers. Writers. Strategists. Fashion thinkers. Image-makers.
If you’re finishing your degree and wondering what the hell comes next, this is a place to explore that.
To talk to people who’ve been there, made it, failed, pivoted, and still care deeply about the craft.
And it’s not just me.
TheArtSchool is built around a group of brilliant, generous minds.
People at the top of their game who come not to lecture, but to listen, question, challenge.
We’ll have two or three guest speakers each time.
And they’ll stay afterwards. To mentor. To advise.
Maybe even to hire.
We’ll talk about what makes ideas great.
We’ll talk about how to navigate a creative life in a world that’s constantly shifting.
And we’ll remind people — especially the young — that creativity still has power. It still matters.
One afternoon. One room.
And it’s free.
Open to students and anyone working in the creative industries for three years or less.
Graham Fink is founder of TheArtSchool and FinkDifferent. He is a former CCO of Ogilvy in Greater China and a past president of D&AD.