Creative Guts December News!
Big changes and future happenings
The End of an Era š
As their terms conclude at the end of 2025, weāre saying a fond farewell to founding directors Sarah Wrightsman and Karla Dillion.
Sarah started the Creative Guts Podcast in the spring of 2019 alongside Laura Harper Lake. The pair interviewed creatives of all disciplines and backgrounds, all while making memories, friends, and hilarious bloopers. Sarah served as Co-Chair and Secretary for the nonprofit and was instrumental in building up Creative Guts to what it is today through her leadership, fundraising, admin support, and podcast production.
When Creative Guts applied for nonprofit status in 2021, Karla was an incorporating director and served as our Treasurer. Through bookkeeping and admin support, volunteering at events, fundraising, and being a cheerleader for the organization, Karlaās support has had tremendous impact on Creative Guts.
Please join us in thanking them for their many years of dedication, leadership, creative thinking, and passion for the mission of our nonprofit and its community!
Thank you, Sarah and Karla, for everything youāve done for Creative Guts! š
A Wrap on 2025 š
This year has been filled with amazing interviews, fantastic events, and epic community building! Letās look back on some big moments, where we:
Interviewed 25 creatives on the podcast.
Worked with amazing organizations, like The Currier Museum of Art and The Childrenās Museum of New Hampshire to name just a few.
Brought on a few more hosts to the podcast team: Becky Barsi and Joe Acone.
Started a Discord server where the creative community gets to hang out in a supportive and fun environment. (Join us!)
Started a zine library at Art Up Front Street Studios and Gallery, in Exeter, NH.
To all those who were on the podcast, listened to our episodes, attended our events, joined our Discord, submitted to our zines, donated, volunteered, served on a committee, or been a cheerleader for us, THANK YOU. We are so honored to do this work and canāt wait to do more of it next year.
Can you help us share more stories in 2026? Make a tax-deductible donation here to ensure we can keep producing the podcast, hosting events, and providing opportunities to amazing creatives.
Sticker Contest 2026! šØ
Creative Guts is hosting our second annual contest for a creative sticker design in early 2026! The winning design will be made into a sticker that will be shared with the Creative Guts community. The winner will be paid $100 for use of their artwork, plus 10 complimentary stickers.
This submission form will open on January 1, 2026 on our website, www.CreativeGutsPodcast.com. The deadline to enter the contest is February 14, 2026. There is no cost to enter the competition. All ages may submit to this competition, though anyone under 18 years of age will need parent/guardian permission for use of their artwork if selected.
The themes we are seeking can relate to creativity in general, a particular art form, podcasting, or what Creative Guts means to you.
Design guidelines:
- The words āCreative Gutsā must be in the sticker design.
- Stickers can be any shape.
- Keep the design simple. An overly complex design will not be as readable at a smaller size.
- You can design in any medium.
- Vector or high-resolution raster art files are preferred for best printing results.
- Your fileās color space should be set to CMYK for color accuracy.
Rules:
- Submissions must be your own original work. Artificial Intelligence (AI) generated designs are not allowed.
- Images you do not own the copyright to and stock images are not allowed.
- You may submit more than one design, up to a total of 3 designs.
- Submissions can be in Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, EPS, JPG, PNG, or PDF format and at least 300 DPI. Files must be under 10 MB.
Please DM us or reach out to Laura@CreativeGutsPodcast.com with any questions.
On the Podcast š§
On a recent episode of Creative Guts, co-hosts Becky Barsi and Joe Acone sit down with Theo Martey, Ghanaian-born artist and founder of the Akwaaba Ensemble! From vibrant performances and hands-on workshops to his role as New Hampshire Artist Laureate, Theo shares how West African rhythms, storytelling, and the spirit of welcome have guided his artistic journey. The conversation explores Theoās work in education, his passion for collaboration, and how music can build bridges across cultures and communities.
Listen to this episode wherever you listen to podcasts or on our website www.CreativeGutsPodcast.com.
š Thanks for being here on Substack! Weāre also on Instagram, Facebook, Discord, and LinkedIn!