Somehow, some f*cking how, this podcast has reached 10 seasons. I can’t overemphasize how this started with no plans or with a vision of the future; there was just a deep desire to learn from people who are different than me. To delve into the past, present, and future of The New Exchange, my buddy Toby Tennebaum rejoins me on the pod to talk through it all.

Season 10 will begin on September 23rd, thanks for sticking around. Be sure to visit Toby's photography work on his website.

How often were told you told in school that you need to focus on one thing? If you were anything like me and my friends, I’d imagine it was a daily occurrence for you. There’s arguably some merit to why/how this was pushed onto us, but what about the people who say “f that”? That’s clearly been the case with our friend Carter Howe, a multi-disciplinary creative who’s exploring photography, modeling, and film production in quite some unique ways. At the core of Carter’s work is the exploration of identity, how it can be highlighted, personified, and a vehicle for storytelling. This has led him to working closely with acts like MUNA and Lucy Dacus, and brands like Nike and Levi’s, bringing his distinct style across those projects in a way that seems effortless.

But if you’ve been following this series, you know we’re interested in exploring how oftentimes things are anything but effortless. What is it like to pour yourself into so many projects while also traversing who you are professionally and personally? We chat about all of this while having some great laughs in the process.

Remember to follow @creativemainpod on Instagram for more updates on the pod! (intro song is Cassette Player by Rebecca Mardal).

This is a wild one: one of the best (if not THE best) live band on planet earth are gracing the podcast. The Hives from Fagersta, Sweden have been making noise since 1993, and somehow have been looking better than the lot of us while doing it. They’re about to release their seventh album, The Hives Forever, Forever The Hives, which is a body of work that further solidifies their world dominance of being absolute badasses. The album is as kinetic and dizzying as you’d expect, with gobsmacking quality that doesn’t sacrifice the emotion and grit of the songs. On our last summer bonus episode, I’m joined by frontman Howlin' Pelle Almqvist and guitarist Vigilante Carlstroem to discuss how The Hives continue to be your favourite band.

Also, this is a good time to mention that season 10 (again, holy sh*t) of the podcast will begin on September 23rd. Be sure to be subscribed wherever you stream podcasts so you don’t miss out.

We’ve all heard the saying “teamwork makes the dream work” right? Something that’s funny about that phrase is how it doesn’t leave room to highlight how our individual journeys also contribute heavily within a team setting. Today’s podcast inadvertently is an exploration of that, thanks to Vancouver-based artists Alexis Young and Malcolm Holt. Both are members of the indie pop band Blonde Diamond, along with Alexis also being a Co-Founder/Creative Director at the advertising agency Definitely Real, and Malcolm being the founder of the custom screen printing company Pressing Matters. Together, they chat with us about how being multidisciplinary creatives in 2025 feels like a necessity, but how it’s not a path to be feared.

Remember to follow @creativemainpod on Instagram for more updates on the pod! (Intro song is Cassette Player by Rebecca Mardal).

This is episode 5 of Creative Maintenance with Laura Harvey.

Referencing The Matrix as a symbol for everyday life definitely feels trite at this point. However, the prevalence of that does continue to feel appropriate, especially when describing scenarios that shake us at our core. In 2025, that could be as simple as a person sharing an experience where they weren’t their best selves, a time in their life when they weren’t ok. That’s the case with what you’ll be hearing on today’s episode with Corinne Cumming, a wildly successful photographer who’s worked with the BBC, Drag Race, any band you can think of, and is also the leader of Eurovision’s photography team.

Corinne is the kind of creative who lives and breathes the craft, but what happens when doing that isn’t the answer, and what lessons can you learn from dealing with those questions head-on? Thankfully, Corinne was willing to share her story and how she’s become a better creative for it.

Be sure to check out Corrine’s stunning work on Instagram @capturedbycorinne. Also, remember to follow @creativemainpod on Instagram for more updates on the pod! (intro song is Cassette Player by Rebecca Mardal).

This is episode 4 of Creative Maintenance with Laura Harvey.

None of us would be profound for stating how the word “hustle” is synonymous with creativity. For years, this has felt like a default setting: where if you “want to make it,” then you need to also be willing to throw your all into it. But what happens when the unsustainable aspect of that becomes crystal clear to us? Well, that’s when a person like Desirée Dawson comes in. A supremely talented singer-songwriter from Vancouver, Desirée has experienced firsthand how soul-draining the chase of music industry success can be. A field that demands that artists to think about their work as “content” above….well, pretty much everything.

For the last several years, Desirée has been asking herself, “But what if?” And that “what if” has led her on a journey of choosing herself, her health, and being present for the people she cares about the most. We chat about all this and more on today’s episode, along with how Desirée’s path can be an actionable one.

Remember to follow @creativemainpod on ⁠Instagram⁠ for more updates on the pod! (intro song is Cassette Player by Rebecca Mardal).

This is episode 3 of Creative Maintenance with Laura Harvey.

It’s actually trippy when you stop to think about it, how the pandemic lockdowns are something we all went through, and while trying to make sense of it all, we’re also trying to act like it never happened. And who can blame any of us, right? For diving headfirst into the return of normalcy (lol) in everyday life. But this is where art, the very function of art, is so vital. It can drive us to reach some form of understanding towards what we’ve gone through, and inadvertently, that’s what my friend Shura has done with her latest album, I Got Too Sad For My Friends.

Beyond having the most relatable title of 2025, it’s also one of the year's most ambitious albums. You can hear the love of sonic textures from the ’60s and '80s while also hearing Shura’s obsession with crafting unique melodies. There’s a beautiful juxtaposition across this album, where there’s a sense of modernity you can feel across the songs that’s being projected by so many of the things we’ve felt but rarely say out loud. How we can all relate to significant moments of feeling isolated, heartbroken, lonely, and confused at what the world has hurled at us. Somehow, we chat about all this and more, along with how Shura acquired that sick armor for the album artwork.

One thing that happens as we age is the deterioration of our sense of whimsy and openness. One can look around at the political landscape of…well, anywhere in the world, and that alone would seem like a sound reason as to why this happens. But maybe there’s something deeper, something innate within us that dims our light? Luckily for us, they’re people out there who go the opposite way and remind us of what’s possible when we allow for imagination to shine. Our guest today, Tala Schlossberg, is such a person — a multidisciplinary creative who is the kind of artist that reminds you to reconnect with that inner child (you seriously need to check out her illustrations and animated works). Tala’s built a career that aligns with her values of community, being kinder to one another, and having her work rooted with intention.

But getting to this point hasn’t been as easy as it looks. What is it really like to say “no” to things that you’d be led to believe you should say “yes” to? How does that impact your creativity as a whole? These are just a few of the areas we explore with Tala on today’s podcast. Also, on June 27th, Tala will be hosting an art show called EXPLATIONS at 195 Plymouth Street in Brooklyn. Visit her Instagram to RSVP, and also be sure to check out her Substack.

Remember to follow @creativemainpod on Instagram for more updates on the pod! (intro song is Cassette Player by Rebecca Mardal).

This is episode 2 of Creative Maintenance with Laura Harvey.