Creative career dilemma: Chicago vs NYC and LA 

Creative community builder, here. Been to NYC and LA, ended up moving to Chicago. There's something about the creative community here that just feels right. It feels like we look out for each other. It's only been 3 weeks since I moved but I know I made the right decision.

I expected networking in the creative/film industry here in Chicago to be miserable. But I’ve been really taken aback by how truly community focused the scene is here. I feel like I’m getting/gotten to know people as people vs solely getting to know people for the career benefit we can provide each other. Since this is the beginning of something vs an established creative hub, like LA or NYC, I think there is much less gatekeeping here and it is easier to start doing what you want to be doing faster than having to claw your way up to the things you want to be doing. In-person networking or joining collectives/community groups is key though. Finally, I think the creative community here is also really interested right now on making Chicago a city where people don’t have to leave to have sustainable careers in at least the film industry.

I am a game developer here in Chicago and have been here for over a decade now. The thoughts expressed about this city are so accurate.

Been in Chicago my whole life it’s been hard finding a community of people that are true creatives and not people that are just looking to hop on the next big thing to make a name for themselves. It’s refreshing to see this perspective

Such a great video. Just moved from Chicago to LA a year ago, and the comments on the personal and friendly nature of Chicagoans is sorely missed.

As someone who has been a creative in Chicago for 5+ years I can say that it feels like a place for the aspiring introverted artist that loves the city life. I've seen a lot of artist starting their careers here and getting their first city apartment. There is a great community in Chicago but, its very hard to get into those creative spaces bc it feels more like bubbles that you can find rather than a culture. I think the one thing making it special is that it feels like a hub, almost the perfect middle of the road spot between NYC, LA, Nashville and, Texas. Chicago functions as a more of place to start and test city life as a creative or for the people that love a busy city but hate the ones they've been in. That all being said people can and do make it in Chicago but its usually alone or with a very close team. From what I've been seeing there are a lot of creators coming here and voicing that they want that feeling of real community and we are going to see a huge shift in the art culture here within the next few years.

I feel like there was a bit of oversight for chicago's comedy and stage theater community. Chicago is the birth of so many talented actors and comedians. Yes unfortunately many people who become successful in chicago move to new york or la because, like you said, they have systems set up for more opportunities and ease of growth. But it is still the truth of the matter that there is a very successful comedy and theater scene here (even if it's not to the same caliber as ny or la). Also, doing some reflection, I think the creativity of chicago is still very based in the past. Chicago music scenes are built upon the jazz and blues community. Along with that, the "fine arts" community with the symphony, lyric opera, and geoffrey ballet, are very well renown. While yes, a lot of us creatives in the younger generations are looking towards newer more contemporary outlets of creativity, what chicago has are still very strong, thriving, and supported art forms. But that's just my two cents :). Great video man I hope you the best in your creative journey

I definitely needed to see this video and happy your channel got recommended to me. I've spent the last 12 years in Milwaukee, which is an incredible city that I hold dearly in my heart where I followed my artistic path as a musician, earned my music degrees, married my wife, etc. And I know that if the day comes that we move away, I'll feel like I'm leaving a part of me here. And Chicago has always been the logical step. It's the metropolis of the midwest, a gateway to the rest of the world, but at the same time I always had NYC in my mind. I don't know how I'd get there but I always just thought oh it's gotta be New York for grad school or just professional development. And for a while I was trying to figure out why I didn't just see Chicago in that same light. NYC and LA benefit from having the artistic vibe of so many people all saturating those scenes and as a result there's always projects or shows or exhibitions happening 24/7. Both a good and bad thing for artists. I mean, from my personal experience, if someone comes to Milwaukee with NYC or LA in their bio people immediately take notice. It's an inherent expectation we have. I think Chicago misses out on some of that just by being in the middle of the country where historically, it might not have been a destination for as many creatives. Or it was a stop on their way to either coast. But I think there's a lot of grit and hard work that comes out of our midwestern cities. Almost like because of the lack of recognition, we work that much harder and don't really give in to performative depictions of what we do. (not that that's all LA or NYC creatives, but by the sheer number of people who flock to either place there will of course be the ones that aren't genuine or can't cut it and they get weeded out) I think at the end of the day, we end up where we need to end up. And if it wasn't the right move, we find a way to change it. But your point about finding a community is really important. And I do think we're moving more and more in the direction of remote collaborations and networking, so the pressure of being in a specific place is lessening. Yes if you're needed at a shoot then you have to get there, but so much of the creative process can be accomplished anywhere. I don't think my interest in NYC will ever go away, because it is such a massive and exciting creative hub that's always on display. I've got friends in film and music that have moved to both cities, and a small part of me does envy their leap of faith. But, I know that it isn't the place holding me back from creating, it's just me and I can handle working on myself so much easier than moving my life and family cross country. If a little version of my NYC era comes along one day, great I'm sure I'll be stoked. But in the meantime I might as well prepare and enjoy my time where I'm at, before I get there.

“What does Chicago have?” Me: the Blues Brothers 🚔🚓🚨

Love love love, being near Chicago and seeing this makes me love what I do more. And helps me feel less alone, thank you!!!!

I'm from Chicago and I'm caught off guard about the idea that there is a lack of creative work here. Maybe I'm just old, but growing up, all the artists were in Wicker Park. If you wanted to do art, you went to Columbia College or AI, then made a bunch of friends and moved into a loft in Wicker Park. Movies and TV shows were always filming, though I don't think all of them showed Chicago as itself. I remember cousins and their artsy friends having art shows when I was too young to go to art shows. And music, Chicago does world class music. Chicago has been a comedy city basically forever. When SNL was good, all those comedians were from Second City or that improv place on the north side (north north). I'm not an artist, but I've spent years working in creative studios in the West Loop. I make little videos for myself and whenever I wanted a nice camera, there was always some videographer or documentary photographer willing to sell me their old gear. These days, I see there is tons of film production going on. How many streets were blocked off for Empire of Ocean Park or Dark Matter in the last year? Let alone Chicago [Fire, P.D, etc.]... Chicago has a theater district, walk through it every day. So many music venues keeping engineers employed too. There's public art all around (I miss the cows). There are museums all over the place. Secret art exhibits and exhibitions if you know the right people... ....and I just had a thought. Maybe artists in Chicago are from Chicago and, since we're a city of segreg... I mean... neighborhoods... maybe artists just aren't letting other artists in the club. Hmm, never thought about it really, but I can tell you where you can get the best buldak, and I'm not afraid to say that to get the best Chicago Dog, you gotta go to River Grove. I think this is the part that foreigners/transplants might not understand -- Chicago isn't just The Loop, it's big. West of the river, those aren't suburbs, those are neighborhoods; the burbs start at like Harlem or Cumberland. There's a whole south side where they basically run out of names for streets and start using numbers.... twice. Chicago is huge. In any case, it's nice to see Chicago here. At first I liked, and then I didn't agree with some things, so I unliked, but in the end, you got this long comment, a relike, and a subscribe. Thanks for this video! P.S. I'd have color graded it in amber, like a dark Chicago alley, but they got rid of those ;P

Been in Chicago almost a year now. The music scene is incredible here with all kinds of DIY shows and a lively community, but it can be a little tightly-wound. People seem to know their place and stick with what/who they know so there isn't a whole lot of artistic cross-mingling unless you go to school here. There are some very notable exceptions, but for the most part it seems the community is a little old fashioned with a "pick yourself up by the seat of your pants" but also "you have to know people" mentality (those speakeasy roots). It's reassuring to hear that they feel the creative community is growing here. I hope to see more collaboration and mingling between the music and visual arts scenes. And I hope that more aspiring filmmakers and writers start seeing Chicago as more of a creative destination rather than just a decent place to get a degree. Guess it's time for me to do my part and initiate some of this collaboration haha. Also shoutout to that guy with a Chicago Machine ultimate shirt.

As someone that grew up there. Granted a different side of Chicago with my black ass. The creative world has always been there. But there’s two different scenes. There’s the one that’s conventionally accepted with all the art exhibits at the art institute and what not. But there’s an underground(not that I’d call it underground but that’s what it is, it’s just adjacent to the mainstream stuff) one with a ton of highly talented artists working on, what I would argue, is phenomenal work. I think your point about the speak easies really is it. There’s a lot of art in the city. It just doesn’t get talked about. Whether that be due to how people see the Chi or because of coverage. I don’t know.

I'm so glad you could make it to our creative community event in Chicago! (11:37) It's such an exciting time for us as we build and grow new things in the city. I moved back to Chicago in August of '23 after spending a lot of time in Florida, and it didn't take long for me to find a group of photographers who wanted to connect and create collaborative art. The warmth of the Chicago community has made it hard for me to imagine living anywhere else. I'm really grateful for the CHI creative community's support and for letting me be a part of it all!

As someone in nyc I feel like it’s harder to break into the creative field here. It’s better to come after you have some experience. For example, more people are willing to pay for a beginner photographer in a smaller town. You build your portfolio and then move here with experience. As opposed to moving here first, it’s hard to find paid beginner opportunities. There’s so many established professionals here that people would rather work with.

I love chicago and the creative community. I love the western suburbs as well!!!

I AM SO HAPPY THAT I FOUND YOUR CHANNEL!!! while watching this video I knew you were going to go big (as if I wrote this when you hit 100k)

Love this the creative community is big in Chicago it’s just everybody is in cliques here less of one big community Growing up here it’s been like that in schools to just every social network but If you can connect with everyone it’s a fun spot

Boston also doesn't really have a thing. Boston seems to be more of a science and tech hub rather than an artist's space, although I am sure there are a bunch of artists in Boston. History is also huge there too.

Glad i stumbled on this video! This is absolutely what i need as im heading back to Chicago for creative job opportunity. I lived there a year prior and loved it. Now coming back, I have yet to find a solid creative community yet but would love to connect fellow creatives here!

Another incredible video! Love seeing the you continue to rep Chicago and help inspire everyone in the city!

So well done 👏🏼 I've moved around a bunch in my life, and one of the top things I've learned is what we get back is largely based on the energy we put into it. Doesn't matter what city or town we're in - it's about how we live our lives and being open to opportunity and growth wherever we are. We could move to LA or NYC, but if we put total bs/un-heartfelt energy into our lives, that's what we could get back in return, and we'll end up miserable (i.e. the city "chews you up and spits you out" etc). Or, we could live in a small town, and think of it as an opportunity for growth and creativity, and have a fkn blast. That said, I've had a similar struggle in Austin for a while, but each time I connect with friends or creative folks in my city, all of that misery melts away. Community and connection is 🔑

This def the type guy to have a John hill skateboard hung up in his office

Just got around to this man. Chills with the ending. I know how much effort a video like this takes and anyone who puts on for Chicago is a real one in my eyes! 👏🏼

This video really halted me from making the huge decision of moving away to nyc just on the idea that, well, creativity is always booming there, if i go ill be so immersed and surrounded by it that ill have to be creative to? i think there is something so warm and family-like in chicago that you simply cant find anywhere else. the decision on where to go is obviously huge and complicated and deserves time, and this video gave me reason to not jump the gun and run from a family i'm already a part of, for the seeming creative boom EXPECTED elsewhere. i love the idea of growing with the city, finding myself as the city does. nyc is so attractive because it feels like a bootcamp: go here, live for a few years, and come out some amazing artist with inspo and job opportunities. in chicago, it might be slower and more work to build a sense of creative community, but the joy and hard work and satisfaction from creating it?! why would i ever leave

New York City has an energy that you don’t find anywhere else. And our top artists leave Chicago 🤔 but seed is planted!!

Love seeing my boy Kris in there 🤘

such a great video Shua! As a creative in the chicago area who's been considering moving to nyc this was interesting to watch

I started and continued on this creative journey in Taiwan and the whole time a creative community does not exist. I've always love the idea how people can have people to talk to speaking the same creative language, connect and grow faster together... I connect with this video a lot! awesome pacing too! Sadly I'm still having trouble getting into any group of a creative community. I'm very happy though, that you're continue growing! So so well deserved!

Yes! Fellow chicago creative here (not living there) and loved this. Y’all are amazing!

Loved the video! Story telling was soo good man! Summertime Chi is here☀️🙌🏼

Great video m8! I'm a chicago boy myself, its oddly disconnected here in spite of how much talent lives here. Pacing and message were super well done, keep up the good work

This was so well done

Man I love this video. I’m from a small town in Arkansas, so the whole theme of this just resonates with me in a big way

New generation of creatives! Let’s go 🔥🔥

Dang man. Your videos keep getting better. Inspires me to keep going with my small measley channel. Keep it up!

Great video! This conversation is always on my mind living in Denver

I love shua

i loved this. great job

love it uncle josh :) very informative and inspiring!

I wish more cities would be seen through your eyes and your beautiful video story! 🥰

Killer video dude!! Shoutout to Kris and Chris

I love your videos!!! 😍😍🙌🏽

Great video. And great idea to do this kind of meetup. Would love to organize something similar here in Hamburg Germany tbh

loved this!

This is a great video! I just moved to South Bend from Ohio and I've been feeling kinda isolated creatively and I really want to go up to Chicago more often to meet more creatives but I wasn't really sure where to start. If you another one of those creatives meetups I'd love it if I could come as a creative that lives close by!

great story telling!

Love this! I'm stoked to find you in Chicago. Are the artist meetups open to the public? Happening again?

Chicago is definitely a vibe, my brother and I talk about visiting again all the time. I’m live in Kansas and want to move, glad to add another city to the list 😁.

amazing video, keep watering your garden

Man, this made me want to become an artist. I’m an hour away from chicago. Hoping I can get some help on how to get started, I really want to be involved with a community full of great people. 🙂‍↕️

I've been thinking about this a lot as well, but I'm happy to slowly get exposed to Chicago's creative culture! It took a trip all the way to Lightbox Expo in Pasadena to meet someone who told me about insider creative circles in Chicago like Zine Not Dead and Malt Adult 12:06 IS THAT MY BOY NATHAN HONG?!?! No way! This shows it's a small world in Chicago's creative field!

I moved from Chicago to LA. Chicago is an amazing city but the ceiling for creative success is so much lower in Chicago than in LA. With more work being remote and more people making their own way on RU-vid & online I wonder if that’s changing. I learned how to be an artist in Chicago though and I’ll always be grateful for that.

loved it dude, thanks for featuring me! leaving this comment so i can come back to it one day when i move back to the chi :) -nate

This video showed up at such a good time. I live in the midwest and I'm a painter and love the electronic music scene. I think I would have loved to be in new york 5-10 years ago, but it's out of my budget now-a-days. I'm wondering if something like Austin would be a good place with a creative community now. Not 100% where to go yet.

I don’t remember the Strat tower being in LA. It’s on the strip but not Sunset.

Love letter to Chicago! Letsgoooo. This even makes me wonder... I'm from Grand Rapids MI, and I just finished my first international shortfilm made in Mexico and Michigan; wonderful experience with wonderful people and ask myself: In a modern world like this, does the city that you live in even matters? At the end all I want to do is to make films with the people I love the most. Thats it.

🎉❤let's gooooooooooo

oh shoot it's me at the end!

🔥

What's good Shua! Thought this was a great topic matter to go into! I'm a filmmaker and agency owner based not so far from Chicago! Definitely there is a great community here! Would love to connect!

so amazing❤

When I clicked this vid, I was not expecting to literally see myself (starting @ 5:01 - gray/black hat and glasses 😅). Pushed this vid from a 10/10 to a 15/10 haha.

I feel like there is definitely a perspective missing from this video. A Black Chicagoan perspective specifically. I agree with the points made but Black people in Chicago have laid a good foundation in cultivating and maintaining the arts despite being overlooked. You are describing a specific type of creative group that is more easily compared to other big cities like NYC and LA, which also overlook Black contributions.

This is a sick video

❤❤❤

Cool video! I wonder the same thing with Chicago

Trying to be blogger over here !! #chicago

Dude as someone looking for a place in Chicago I am desperately curious about your home situation and how much it costs haha

I think if there was a thing Chicago was known for it would be comedy, wouldn’t it? All of the big comedians and SNL people have their formative time here. In the visual art world, Chicago is defined by politically engaged art. Amanda Williams, Nick Cave. Social practice. With literature, Slam Poetry started here in Chicago and the founder of it still does slam poetry competitions at the Green Mill, which is a speakeasy in Uptown. Its whole thing, again, was democratizing poetry and bringing it to the people, not the elites. Chicago is a collaborative city and the art scene is very politically active. It’s not exactly driven by “the market,” it’s got more of a do-it-yourself, city of broad shoulders type thing where everyone helps each other out.

👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

Don’t know if your still in the city but I would love to connect, we probably have crossed paths, I’ve used the library at cove many times 😅

Hey, Shua. I'm an ex-NYer living in Chicago. Let's get connected!

most creative ever

chi city!!

Thumbnail is a pic of Vegas not LA

chicago is amazing (8yrs). NY is fly, LA sucks ass (cause I've never been). But BERLIN is where it's at YALL! Video well done !

Austin is the city you associate with comedy??? Not the home of Second City? 😂

Imagine thinking you have to move to a major metro to be a worthwhile artist in 2024. Pretty cringe.

You have to move dude. I wanna see you shine

Consider yourselves lucky enough that you're not in Florida.

Unsubscribing because you're talking about Chicago & creativity, yet there wasn't one black person in this video.