The Best Newsletters for Creativity, Innovation and Inspiration*

It’s been a couple of years since I began my own monthly mailer as a way to share some of the most inspiring and thought provoking instances of creativity I’ve come across. Here are some of the newsletters I look to for enlightenment … 

There’s one email I’ll always open the moment it arrives. And that’s the weekly missive from Nick Cave. The musician and writer invites readers to ask him anything. He responds in The Red Hand Files. Profound, poetic, and often very funny.

Brain Pickings curated by Maria Popova comes out weekly. Maria unearths gems from the worlds of science, art, literature & philosophy. A deep dive into the minds of eminent creators and thinkers.

Do, AKA The Encouragement Network, is a brilliant outfit sharing inspiring ideas and stories from the world’s ‘doers, disruptors and change-makers’. Particularly good on encouraging us to rethink the way we work. And there are some great talks from past events free to watch on their site.

If you’re looking to keep up to speed with the most innovative and effective examples of brand communication, Contagious is your one stop shop. Essential reading if you’re in the ad game.

I’m a huge fan of Creative Review . A great way to keep abreast of all kinds of creativity. Covers the full spectrum – from advertising and design through to music and art. They’ve been kind enough to let me write for them now and again too.

Austin Kleon’s newsletter is probably the closest in vibe to my own. Although he has roughly 79,300 more subscribers than I do. But I’m working on that.

Oliver Burkeman used to write a great column for the Guardian newspaper. Now he flies solo. His twice monthly mailer is all about building a meaningful life in the age of bewilderment. Thought provoking and helpful without being worthy.

News online usually means a blizzard of headlines and not much substance. The Guardian Long Reads are thoughtful, illuminating and … long. For the stories behind the stories. Also available as a podcast. This piece on Bezos was a recent stand out.

Creative Boom is a platform dedicated to the creative communities. Upbeat vibe, a great layout and a really strong sense of community. An inspiring showcase of the best work, plus interviews with creators.

1854 Photography is the publisher of the world’s longest running and most influential photo magazine. Beautifully designed and unrivalled editorially, it’s a must if you love images.

And, finally, Dust to Digital. Run by a husband and wife team in Atlanta it’s a collection of audio curiosities you simply wouldn’t come across anywhere else. It’s where I first heard the mesmerising Gasper Nali.

*IMHO. These are my favourites. I’d love to hear about yours in the comments below.