Career Puzzles: Expanding Your Creative Self-Concept

There's nothing wrong with being an artist with a day job. The starving-artist myth had a good run, but it's outdated, and wanting a nice couch is a human right. Join this informal, high-energy session for NYU Tisch students and alumni who want to stay connected to their creative identity while paying rent comfortably.

In this session, Brett Macias will help you pressure-test the story that says you have to choose between "artist" and "professional." Together, we'll widen the definition, name where that either/or pressure actually comes from, and build a version of your creative identity that holds up no matter what's funding it.

This isn't about picking a lane. It's about making room for all of it.

No permission required. No apologies ever.

This event will not be recorded.

Bio: Brett Macias, CPCC, PCC
Coach • Composer • Creative Catalyst
Brett Macias helps artists, storytellers, and creative leaders define who they are—and claim it—no matter how they pay their bills. His work lives at the intersection of creative identity, leadership, and momentum, helping people turn ideas into impact without losing themselves along the way.

Before becoming a coach, Brett spent over 25 years composing, orchestrating, and music directing for Broadway, Off-Broadway, and stages across the country. Along the way, he learned how to lead rooms full of brilliant, sensitive humans toward a shared vision—and how easily artists can lose clarity when the work, the money, and the identity don’t line up. Today, he brings those lessons into his coaching, supporting clients as they build careers, lead teams, and write their next act with intention.

Brett’s coaching is rooted in curiosity, creativity, and Co-Active principles. Together with his clients, he surfaces what’s getting in the way, amplifies what’s already working, and designs paths forward that feel both inspired and grounded. Think of it as rehearsal for an authentic, sustainable creative life.

Brett holds an MFA from NYU Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program, is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) through Co-Active Training Institute, and a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with the International Coaching Federation. Alongside his private practice, Coaching with Brett, he also coaches with BetterUp, Strawberry, and Leland.

This event is presented by the Tisch Office of Career Development. To learn more about TOCD's services, go to www.tisch.nyu.edu/tocd.

NYU Tisch School of the Arts provides reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities. Requests for accommodations should be made at least two weeks before the date of the event when possible. You can request accommodations by contacting TOCD at tisch.career@nyu.edu.