Advertise on podcast: Arts To Hearts Podcast

Some people live more life in one lifetime than most of us live in three. Mikki Hoogendijk is one of them. She survived a bomb attack. She lost people she loved. She built things and watched them fall apart, lived in cities she had to leave, and carried grief that would have stopped most people. And every single time, she didn't move away from the pain — she moved through it, and turned it into something you could see, touch, and feel. In this episode, artist and author Mikki Hoogendijk joins Charuka Arora for a conversation about loss, fear, reinvention, and the quiet freedom that waits on the other side of the things we're most afraid of. Mikki's mother handed her a camera a month before she passed — and that gift began a lifetime of creating through grief, from photography to clay to eight-meter bronze sculptures. Now, with her memoir The Art of Letting Go, she shares what all of it taught her. We talk about:Why grief is never about a single moment and what it asks of usHow to keep creating when your life is falling apartThe seven-year-old self she keeps on her phone and why that child runs the showWhy she stopped making art for anyone's approvalReinventing yourself at any age, while everyone else settlesWhy letting go isn't losing it's making space for what's nextThis one is tender, honest, and quietly freeing. Whatever you're holding onto, or afraid to let go of, this conversation is for you. Because the other side of fear, it turns out, is freedom.

What happens when life changes in ways you never imagined and you're left to rebuild from the pieces? In this episode of Season 6, Charuka Arora is joined by Micky Hoogendijk for one of our most moving conversations yet. Together, they explore grief, trauma, resilience, and the quiet strength it takes to keep living after profound loss. From surviving unimaginable experiences to navigating the lasting impact of loss, Mickey shares why grief is never about just one moment and why healing isn't something we simply "get over." This episode is for anyone who has loved deeply, lost deeply, or is learning how to carry both grief and hope at the same time. Season 6 Episode 8 is coming soon. Don't forget to tune in this Tuesday for the full conversation.

Creative burnout doesn't arrive in one moment. There's no single day you wake up and know. It starts so small you don't even notice, one yes, then another yes, then another. Until the things you love get quieter and quieter, the things that feel heavy get louder, and one day you realize you've been running on empty far longer than you'd like to admit. In this solo episode, Charuka Arora Founder of Arts to Hearts Project herself, gets honest about being in exactly that place. This isn't a talk from someone who's figured it out it's from someone still in the middle of it. For six years she's shown up for this business, her team, this community, and every project along the way. And somewhere in all that showing up, she lost the version of herself who used to make art simply because she loved it. So, this episode is Charuka saying some things out loud that she hasn't heard many people say. In this episode, she talks about:Why burnout starts as "just another yes," and why we don't see it comingThe two kinds of lonely, including the one nobody warns you about, the kind that arrives after things go wellWhat happens when the thing you love quietly becomes the thing you oweWhy art has always been the thing that brings her back to herselfAnd how she lost touch with itThe guilt of wanting to be an artist first againWhy choosing yourself isn't quitting it's evolvingIf you're somewhere in here too still showing up, still saying yes, and quietly tired this one's for you. You're not behind, and you're not alone. Sometimes the bravest thing an artist can do is admit the cup is empty.

Success is often measured by what we build. Rarely do we talk about what it costs to build it. In Episode 7 of Season 6 of the Arts to Hearts Podcast, Founder Charuka Arora shares one of her most personal conversations yet. After six years of building Arts to Hearts, she reflects on burnout, the quiet pressure of always showing up, and the realization that, somewhere along the way, she had lost touch with the artist who started it all. This isn't an episode with easy answers. It's an honest conversation about ambition, responsibility, creativity, and the courage to acknowledge when something needs to change. Because sometimes the greatest challenge isn't building the dream. It's finding your way back to yourself. Tune in this Tuesday for Episode 7 of the Arts to Hearts Podcast.

The creative economy is worth nearly $10 trillion. So why do most artists never see a cent of it? That's the question Charuka Arora, founder of Arts to Hearts Project, brings to Nina Orm in Episode 6 of Season 6. Nina, founder of Creativity Meets Capital, has spent her career across finance, entrepreneurship, and politics and is now building the financial infrastructure the art world never gave its artists. Her argument is simple and a little uncomfortable: artists aren't broken because they're bad at business. They're broke because nobody ever built them a system. Galleries take 50% (sometimes 70%). Art schools teach craft but not contracts. And the "starving artist" gets romanticised instead of paid. This is one of the most practical money conversations we've had on the show. We cover:Where the trillions in the art world actually go and why so little reaches artistsWhy the gallery model is built the way it is, by designThe "starving artist" myth, and why Nina wants it goneThe one financial habit every artist should start todayThe 10-10-10 rule for creatives who don't have a big income to play withWhy multiple income streams protect your creative freedomHow to read a P&L and why you're already a businessOwnership, copyright, and why "the law is what makes things real"Whether you've never sold a piece or you're already earning from your work, this episode hands you a system for your money and a backbone for your career. So, grab a coffee and a notebook you'll want to take notes on this one.

Artists create the work. But do they really understand the business behind it? In Episode 6 of Season 6, Arts to Hearts founder Charuka Arora is joined by Nina Orm, founder of Creativity Meets Capital, for a powerful conversation about the side of the art world many creatives are never taught to navigate: contracts, copyrights, ownership, licensing, negotiations, and the decisions that can shape a career long after a deal is signed. Many artists spend years mastering their craft, yet very few are taught how to protect their work, understand their rights, or confidently navigate the financial and legal realities of the creative industry. Together, Charuka and Nina explore why understanding the business of art is no longer optional, what artists should know before signing agreements, and how ownership and knowledge can become some of the most powerful tools in a creative career. Because making great work is only part of the story. Understanding how to protect it is the other. And if you've ever felt intimidated by contracts, confused by copyright, or unsure how the business side of art really works, this episode is for you. Tune in this Tuesday for the full conversation.

There's a question that follows almost every artist. Some days you barely notice it. Other days it's the loudest thing in the room. But it's always there: Will I ever make it? Will anyone see my work? Will I ever become the artist I imagine myself to be? And the hardest part there's no report card, no promotion, no guaranteed timeline. Just you, your work, and a lot of uncertainty. In this solo episode, Charuka Arora Founder of Arts to Hearts Project talks through the question every artist is too afraid to say out loud and the quiet myths we carry about what "making it" is supposed to look like. After working with thousands of artists through Arts to Hearts Project, she's noticed something: most artists don't quit because they lack talent. They quit because they're exhausted by the story, they're telling themselves about where they should be. This is an honest, gentle conversation about success, comparison, burnout, and the small belief that keeps real artists going. In this episode: Why most artists are struggling with uncertainty, not with their artThe guilt of doing "five jobs at once" and why the system was never built to be kept up withMyth #1: that success happens overnight (and what's really underneath every "overnight" story)Myth #2: that success looks the same for everyoneMyth #3: that more is always betterWhy play and "bad work" matter more than strategyHow to let jealousy become a compass instead of a woundThe one question worth more than "Will I ever make it?"If you've ever felt behind, invisible, or quietly afraid you'll never get there this one's for you. Press play. Then go make the thing you'd make even if nobody noticed.

For most of her creative life, Charuka Arora Founder of Arts to Hearts Project believed creative success belonged to a certain kind of person people from the right city, the right family, the right circles. She did not see herself in that picture. A decade of building Arts to Hearts Project changed her mind. After six years of building Arts to Hearts Project and interviewing more than 200 artists, curators, gallerists, and art fair founders, she has come to say something out loud: she was completely wrong. In this episode of Season 6 of the Arts to Hearts Podcast, Charuka walks listeners through the evidence that changed her mind and the one pattern she keeps seeing on repeat in every person who has built something real in the creative world. She also shares the hardest part of her own story pulling herself together to show up for this podcast and this community in the weeks after losing her mom in 2021 and why those days ended up mattering more than she understood at the time. The episode explores: Why 90 percent of the successful people she has interviewed came from no privilege at allThe real reason some artists' careers suddenly "compound" after years of nothingWhy commitment to one direction beats waiting to find the perfect oneHow a simple collage series she emailed outsold within three daysThe two kinds of people who see a problem and which one actually builds a careerWhat she would say to anyone sitting in a corner right now thinking this isn't for themThis conversation feels less like career advice and more like an honest reminder that meaningful creative work is usually built slowly, quietly, and long before anybody else notices it. If you have ever felt behind, late, small, or unqualified for the life you want this episode is the permission slip you didn't know you were waiting for.

What if creative success has nothing to do with being born in the “right” place, having connections, money, or belonging in certain rooms? In Episode 4 of Season 6, founder of Arts to Hearts Project, Charuka Arora, will talk about the difficult realities behind building a creative life rejection, grief, uncertainty, showing up with no results, and continuing anyway. From growing Arts to Hearts from a simple Instagram blog into a global creative platform to navigating self-doubt, loss, and years of invisible work, this conversation is for every artist, writer, photographer, collector, and creative who has ever questioned whether they’re capable of making it. Because the real question isn’t whether the path is hard. It’s whether you’re willing to keep walking it anyway. And if you’re sitting somewhere right now feeling lost, discouraged, or ready to give up, this conversation is for you. Tune in this Tuesday, June 9, 2026, for the complete conversation.

Fifteen years ago, Ryan Stanier started cold-calling estate agents across London asking if he could borrow their empty shops for free. Most ignored him. One handed him the keys. That tiny pop-up became ArtBeat, then The Other Art Fair, one of the world’s biggest artist-led fair movements, spanning London, Los Angeles, Brooklyn, Sydney, Chicago, Melbourne, and beyond. But after more than a decade working closely with artists, Ryan kept hearing the same thing: Art fairs were becoming too expensive. Booth fees, shipping, framing, travel, marketing, logistics artists were taking enormous financial risks just to be visible. So, he decided to rebuild the model. In this episode, Ryan Stanier founder of The Other Art Fair and Fair Play opens up about the changing art world and the realities artists face behind visibility, pricing, and creative survival. We cover: The empty London storefront that started everything Why the art world believed artists “weren’t good at business” The biggest mistakes artists make at fairs Why artists struggle to talk about pricing The heartbreaking thing Ryan still sees at exhibitions Why Fair Play removed booth fees completely The emotional connection between artists and collectors Why visibility in the art world still feels inaccessible How social media changed the art industry The artist Ryan still keeps on his wall years later Whether you’re an emerging artist, a collector, or someone trying to understand how the art world really works behind the scenes, this episode is a rare look at the systems shaping creative careers today. Pull up a chair. this conversation might change how you think about the art world.

For Episode 3 of Season 6, Charuka Arora, founder of Arts to Hearts Project, had a deeply meaningful conversation with none other than Ryan Stanier the founder behind The Other Art Fair and Fair Play. For years, Ryan has been working towards one powerful idea: making the art world feel more accessible, supportive, and human for artists. From starting with small pop-up exhibitions in empty London spaces to building one of the world’s biggest artist-led fair movements, his journey has completely reshaped how artists connect with audiences globally. In this episode, Ryan opens up about the realities behind building artist-first platforms, the frustrations within the traditional art world, the pressure artists constantly navigate, and why he believes the systems around artists still need to change. From building The Other Art Fair to launching Fair Play, this conversation explores creativity, visibility, burnout, risk-taking, art fairs, and the emotional realities of building a life in the arts. It’s thoughtful, personal, honest, and filled with conversations artists rarely get to hear out loud. And honestly… this might change the way you think about art fairs forever. Season 6 Episode 3 drops tomorrow. Stay tuned.

In this solo episode of the Arts to Hearts Podcast, Charuka Arora, Founder of the Arts to Hearts Project pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to make an Arts to Hearts book. From the six-month timeline behind every release, to running open calls, jury processes, and curating both emerging and established artists, Charuka walks through the full publishing journey. She also gets honest about the mess: the factory mix-up that turned a soft-cover magazine into a hard-cover sample, the 4-step proofing process her small team relies on to catch errors, and the 300+ artist interviews they handle every single month. If you've ever wondered what goes into building a contemporary art publication from scratch including the parts no one shows you this one's for you.

What does it really take to turn an Instagram blog into internationally loved art books, magazines, and a creative platform artist around the world connect with? In Season 6, Episode 2 of the Arts to Hearts Podcast, founder Charuka Arora takes us behind every Arts to Hearts book, including the one that completely went wrong. From creative risks and unexpected mistakes to the pressure of building meaningful projects from scratch, this episode dives into the messy, emotional, and unseen side of running a platform dedicated to supporting women in the arts. We’re talking behind-the-scenes realities, working with artists worldwide, publishing art books people genuinely treasure, and the lessons nobody sees behind the final beautiful product. If you’ve ever wondered what actually happens behind creative projects like these, you won’t want to miss this conversation. Season 6 Episode 2 drops tomorrow, May 26. Don’t forget to tune in for the full behind-the-scenes episode.

In 1999, a man walked into Battersea Park with an idea the art world thought was embarrassing: put price tags on art. The galleries hated it. The critics rolled their eyes. He did it anyway. Twenty-five years later, that idea is called Affordable Art Fair 19 fairs across 16 cities, nearly 4 million visitors, over $780 million worth of art sold, and an entire generation of artists who got their first sale through it. In this episode, Will Ramsay, founder of Affordable Art Fair and Ramsay Fairs sits down with Charuka for one of the most practical conversations we've ever had about the business of being an artist. We cover: The banker friend whose embarrassment sparked an empireThe four types of art buyers walking past your booth (and which one most artists ignore)Why selling art online doesn't really work and what doesHow to price your work across international marketsThe $5K–$10K mistake most first-time exhibitors makeHow to approach a gallery without feeling desperateRed dots, empty walls, and the small tricks that create energy on a standThe Indian artist (Riya Mahajan) hiding in Will's garden right nowWhether you've never sold a piece of art or you're already exhibiting internationally, this conversation gives you a framework you can actually use. Pull up a notebook. This one's a masterclass.

On this week's Arts to Hearts Podcast, we sit down with Philemona Williamson, a painter whose work has explored adolescence, gender, and identity for decades. Her paintings carry layers of symbolism and narrative that have developed over a long career of making art that matters to her. In this conversation, Philemona talks about how motherhood, her child's transition, and her experiences with miscarriage have all found their way into her paintings. She discusses what it means to be open about these experiences in her work and why that vulnerability has made what she creates feel more real and necessary. Through her story, we see how the things we live through directly shape what we make. Philemona shows us that staying true to yourself, even when life gets complicated or painful, can lead to work that resonates because it comes from a place of truth. This interview offers a look at how an artist doesn't separate her life from her canvas, and how the hardest moments can become the most important ones to paint. Philemona Williamson shares thoughtful perspectives on how life and art feed into each other, and why authenticity matters more than perfection. Listen to the full episode to hear her full story.