This week, I’m joined once again by the brilliant Cat MacLeod a returning guest and friend of the podcast for a raw and honest chat about what it takes to be a creative in 2025 ✨
Since we last spoke, Cat’s been selected for the inaugural Sean Connery Talent Lab with NFTS Scotland, where she’s directing a short film (with a real budget this time), and she’s launched _and friends a brilliant new theatre initiative that champions fresh work and supports artists in meaningful, no-gatekeeper ways. She’s also using her platform to advocate for real change in theatre and the wider creative industry.
We chatted about:
🔥 Burnout and finding the right balance
💼 Balancing paying the bills with creative ambition
🎬 Directing a short film with a budget
🎪 Launching _and friends & running a company
🤖 AI and how her 2023 play Spin predicted the future
🤝 The power of community and collaboration
💬 What she’s learned since our last conversation
🎙️ Our upcoming live event and loads more!
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🎟️ Tickets for our live show on June 22nd:
🎧 Guardian podcast we mention about AI:
https://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2025/jun/05/is-ai-about-to-steal-your-job-podcast
📸 Follow _and friends on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/andfriends.scot