Everything is Artist Dates

100 tiny ideas for more daily creativity and joy

May 01, 2025

I’ve done The Artist’s Way a few times. And every single time, the biggest challenge was the Artist Dates.

If you’re not familiar (which probably means you’re new here, because I talk about them a lot; sorry not sorry, and also, hi!), Artist Dates are one of two pillars of Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way—a twelve-week program to ignite and bolster your creativity.

The Artist Date is the tool of attention. It has two differing emphases: “artist” and “date.” Put simply, an Artist Date is a once-weekly solo expedition to do something that enchants or interests you. It is half artist and half date. You are “wooing” your artist. Planned ahead of time—hence “date”—this weekly adventure is something to look forward to. As with a romantic date, anticipation is half the fun.

I documented this at length on Instagram, and Julia Cameron has reflected on the same sentiment: while the mandatory morning pages are often easier to be faithful to, the Artist Dates get pushed to the side. She hypothesizes that this is because morning pages feel like homework, spinach, broccoli—a little tedious, but good for you. Very Puritan of us.

Artist Dates, on the other hand, are all about frivolity. The whole point is to be indulgent! They’re the chocolate cake to morning pages’ vegetables. And sometimes we have a really hard time letting ourselves enjoy things (especially if we’re a blocked artist, Our Lady Julia will argue). When am I supposed to find the time to plan and execute a just-for-fun activity—and by myself?! Surely I owe any time not spent working to the people around me! Being creative already means I spend more time alone than some people would prefer!!

Cameron also writes:

“Julia, I can’t think of an Artist Date,” I am sometimes told. Once again, this plea comes from a lack of play. Rather than be playful, these students are overly serious. They believe that they must find the “perfect” Artist Date.

Guilty as charged. But I’m a changed woman! Perhaps because I did this latest round of TAW publicly and felt I needed to have greater fidelity to the process, or perhaps because this year has been more joyfully overflowing than any in recent memory and I needed any ballast I could get—whatever the reason, I emerged from this year’s work addicted to my Artist Dates.

I look forward to them all week. I cram as many mini ones as I can into the weekdays and daydream about my more luxurious weekend excursion. And when Clare Osongco suggested I write a bit more about how I approach them, I said “thank you for giving me permission to yap on one of my favorite subjects!!!”

I really considered calling this newsletter in defense of artist dates, because I’d like to convince you of two things: (1) they’re a lot easier than I used to believe they were, and (2) their impact is much greater than I imagined it could be.

Let’s start with the first, and then get to the second. One of Julia Cameron’s suggested exercises in TAW is to write a quick list of possible Artist Dates to get your wheels turning—and to brainstorm with a friend if you’re stuck—and once I started, I found it hard to stop. Some of these are bigger excursions, but many of them are bite-sized so you can sneak them into any window. All are tailored to my own interests—but more on that later. For now, without further ado:

100 ideas for Artist Dates

Take a walk and…
listen to a new album, start to finish
pick a color and find every example of it that you can
take photos of unexpected details (roots pushing through pavement, an unexpected paintjob, a funny cloud)
pick a house to move into
imagine the life of the person who lives there currently
visit a new neighborhood while doing so
do it at a different time of day than usual (early morning, twilight)
download the Merlin app and identify bird calls
identify trees and flowers you’ve always wondered what to call
Take a drive and do any of the above
Go to a thrift store and…
give yourself $20 to spend (or 10, or even 5)
buy a fancy new glass or mug
make a new drink in it
buy a book that you’ve never heard of
buy a book you’ve always meant to read
buy a book for the express purpose of tearing it apart and turning it into art
buy some actual art because you love it
buy some art just for the frame
buy something that needs fixing up
learn how to fix it up
Go to the library and…
browse the new books section
check out their calendar of events and add one to your list
ask a librarian for help, or a recommendation
check out a book you loved as a child
pick a random aisle and see what’s in there
Go to an art gallery and…
ask the staff about the art!
pick a piece you might buy, if you had the money
buy a piece, if you can afford it!
find a piece you might replicate
figure out how it was made
Go to an art store and buy the necessary supplies
Make some art 🙂
Sit outside in a public place…
and people watch
and sketch what you see (it’s okay if it’s not very good)
and eat a treat you always crave
and eavesdrop on conversations
and make a list of beautiful things around you
and make a list of future artist dates :)
Go to a cafe…
and order a drink you’ve never tried
and read a book you’ve been looking forward to for months
and buy a magazine or newspaper
Go to a concert
…of an artist you love
…of an artist you’ve never heard of
Try looking for free or cheap ones—most cities have lots in the summer!
Go to a museum and…
find an artist you love
find an artist you don’t understand
research their work/life
buy a postcard in the gift shop to hang up at home
go to a a local restaurant with a happy hour you’ve always wanted to try, and…
bring a journal or book
Sit at the bar and make a new friend
Rearrange your bookshelf, and…
make a TBR for the week
or a syllabus for the “quarter”
Rearrange the art on your walls
Make some art for your walls
Flag some new recipes to try in a cookbook you’ve barely used
…and make one of them!
Turn your kitchen into a cafe, with a signature drink menu and a bud vase on the table
Make a list of movies you want to watch
Make your own popcorn (try some strange flavors) and watch one of them
Write a review
Turn it into your personality (dress like the protagonist, listen to the soundtrack, copy its color scheme)
Read through an old notebook & rediscover former thoughts and feelings
Create a vignette in your home: a cute little corner with some art, a cozy reading chair, a journaling spot
Pick a skill you’ve always wanted to learn and find a YouTube video teaching you about it
Learn a song in a language you’ve studied or always wanted to study
Translate it!
Read a poem
Memorize a poem
Read a whole book of poetry
Check out a poetry anthology and find a new poet in it
Write a poem
Write a poem after someone else
Buy something small and luxurious that will give you great pleasure: nice soap, beautiful socks, fragrant tea, excellent coffee beans
Window shop
Declutter your wardrobe, especially for a new season
Pick a piece of clothing you haven’t worn in a while and find five new outfits built around it
Start a tiny herb garden (one kitchen pot of your favorite herb is enough)
Go to a movie theater and see something you’ve been excited about
Go to a movie theater and see the next thing playing
Go to a bookstore and ask for a recommendation
Go to a bookstore and allow yourself to buy the book you desperately want to read more than anything
Go to the bookstore and build a list of future books you want to read
Make a map of places you want to visit near you: maybe a mile radius, maybe a few blocks
Visit one of them
Close your eyes in the sun and listen to nature
Turn up the music and have a dance party
Go to a dollar store and buy a few things that delight you
Buy a simple set of watercolors or pastels
Make something small with them
Pursue whatever will make you feel a little more alive today

In making this list, I realized I’m an extremely simple woman, and it really doesn’t take much to get me to unclench my jaw, lower my shoulders, and reconnect to a spark of creativity. Some of these items feel so humble, but I think Julia Cameron would still approve; each of them helps me dream and explore, and that’s all that matters.

Your list probably looks different—though I hope there are some things you can steal from this one—but if you’re interested in building your own, may I suggest you start with the things you already know you love? (For me: walks, music, literature, art, aesthetics, exploring L.A…)

Then ask: how can you switch up your routines for consuming them, focusing on romanticizing the moment and romancing yourself? (Exploring a new neighborhood, reading a new genre, discovering a new artist…)

And: where are you denying yourself experiences that give you great pleasure? (Withholding that book you’ve been dying to read, refusing to buy that $5 latte that feels like the height of luxury…)

Now, on to the impact. Because as I’ve incorporated more Artist Dates, I’ve noticed ripple effects. Slow, tiny ripples, but ripples nonetheless.

I have a habit of overworking myself when I’m in the groove—saying just one more chapter, or I can do another writing sprint, or what if I just finish tackling this one note before I eat/sleep/pee? But I’m trying to rewire that impulse. Instead of asking what more can I accomplish?, I’ve been telling myself:

Joy first.

I start the day with something inspiring and make sure my to-do list includes something fun. Just for me. I have a habit of completing my day’s to-do list and immediately taking a look at what I might get a jumpstart on for tomorrow, but I’ve made a new rule: I’m not allowed to tackle any more work until I tackle my fun, too. The other night, I was waffling on the verge of one more chapter-ing, but instead I picked up Rosie Danan’s Fan Service (an absolute joy ride) and a pint of ice cream and let myself actually relax.

And I blame/credit the Artist Date.

I’m coming to depend on the solitude. On the way it makes my thoughts more expansive. Energized but calm, joyful yet not frantic. I try to turn off my phone for a bit on these outings, or at least to strictly observe my screentime so I’m not scrolling instead of being in the world, and I can almost see my brainwaves smoothing out.

Paradoxically, I think it’s leading me to more connection—because I had my phone away and was attuned to tidbits of curiosity, I found myself having a delightful conversation while standing in a truly endless bagel line recently. My new friend had recently conducted a tour of NYC via bagel, and I left with many new spots bookmarked on my map.

It’s certainly leading me to more joy: falling deeper and deeper down Frenchtok, discovering a previously unnoticed but glorious flower on campus, using the plates shaped like leaves that I snagged at my favorite thrift store.

And wouldn’t you know it, Julia was right about the ways creating a little more alignment in our lives creates more alignment in our work. When I create space to experiment in my daily life, I create space to experiment in my writing, too.

I was thinking about this while reading John Green’s latest, Everything is Tuberculosis. I continue to be so impressed by his commitment to the pivot: always following what feels aligned. The dots are all there in retrospect, of course (chaplain, author of YA that frequently intertwines mortality and morality), but it’s still pretty amazing to turn from a thriving career in one space to explore something totally different. He felt the call of his purpose—of his obsession—and he followed it.

I want to have that same conviction, and that same excitement for my work decades later.

I think Artist Dates will help.

I hope you plan an Artist Date for yourself this week. If you do—or if this is a habit of yours, too!—I’d love to hear about it and add some new ideas to my list.

Everything is Artist Dates

100 tiny ideas for more daily creativity and joy

100 ideas for Artist Dates

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