The Creative Boom Podcast

The conversations the highlight reel leaves out.

I host The Creative Boom Podcast – honest, warm and occasionally sweary conversations with designers, illustrators, artists and the people building a creative life. The highs, the lows, and everything in between.

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Enjoy honest talk about creative life.

Most industry podcasts stick to the polished version: the wins, the launches, the tidy story. I've never been interested in that. Over 200 episodes, I've sat down with some of the most respected names in the creative world and asked the questions that actually matter – about money, doubt, burnout, reinvention and what it really takes to keep going.

I listen properly and let the conversation go where it wants to. The result is something closer to a good chat between friends than a boring, formal interview, which is exactly the point.

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Katy Cowan is holding a microphone, sitting and smiling during an interview or conversation with Angus Hyland of Pentagram. They are in front of a wall with logos and text related to the World Economic Forum and Museo Nacional del Prado.

By the numbers
1M+ downloads. 200+ episodes. Five-star rating.

A few of the people I've sat down with include Paula Scher, Stefan Sagmeister, Brian Collins, Malika Favre, David Airey, Adam J. Kurtz, and Joy Nazzari. Plus founders, illustrators, animators and creative thinkers from studios around the world – each one honest about the realities behind the creative work.

Every main episode is paired with The Spark – a shorter, looser companion conversation about the small things: the habits, the obsessions, the pet peeves and the stuff that makes each guest tick.

Portrait of Brian Collins, who has grey hair and black glasses, wearing a navy blazer and white shirt against a plain dark background.
Malika Favre, sitting under lush green foliage, wearing a black top and a black and white beaded necklace, with colour-patterned pants. She sits on a blue woven outdoor chair.
Malika Favre, sitting under lush green foliage, wearing a black top and a black and white beaded necklace, with colour-patterned pants. She sits on a blue woven outdoor chair.
Stefan Sagmeister, a man with dark hair and a serious expression, is standing in front of a background of large stacked paper rolls with a partial sign that reads 'SEN' and 'T'.

Where to listen

Find the show wherever you get your podcasts.

Screenshots of three podcast episodes from The Creative Boom Podcast, showing episode numbers, titles, guest names, and colorful geometric background designs on a mobile device interface.

Five stars, and a loyal and happy audience since 2020.

I launched the podcast in 2020, in the thick of lockdown, with no real plan beyond wanting to keep talking to creative people when we couldn't be in the same room. It took a while to find its feet – but somewhere along the way it became clear there was a real gap for a show that's fun and open, in an industry that can take itself far too seriously. Years on, the five-star reviews and the audience who keep showing up mean more to me than any download figure.

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A benchmark for podcasts

“A brilliant show and host; every edition somehow resonates. The guests are always open about the realities of the industry. Katy seems to bring out the best in everyone.” – DesignOutLoud

This podcast is awesome

“This is the definitive show on the creative industry. Katy is a fantastic host and interviewer. She helps to unearth the highs and lows of being creative.” – BreakfastWolf

A light relief

“I love this podcast. It’s filled with creative experts talking about their experiences in the funniest, most down-to-earth way, unlike serious or boring industry shows. A real belly laugh.” – KatSL2

Want to come on the show?

I'm always looking for honest, generous people with a story worth telling.

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