Motherhood - the most creative role in the industry

From left to right: Toyin (left), Jevetta (centre left), Brenda (centre right), and Alphoncine (right)

Motherhood and creativity are often seen as two worlds apart—one tied to routine, sacrifice, and responsibility, the other to freedom, spontaneity, and self-expression.
Women stepping into motherhood feel their sense of self fade amidst the endless new responsibilities.

Creativity? Forget about that, right?

But what if motherhood doesn’t dull creativity but instead sparks it?

Q: Can you describe a moment when you felt most creative as a mother?

“With food and when I’m cooking, I know I am creative.”
Alphoncine

The idea that creativity is something you can only tap into at certain points in life is misguided. We believe it’s a process that evolves and changes, shaped by our experiences – how could motherhood not have an impact? For many women, raising children sparks and nurtures their creative potential in new ways. For one of our mums, Alphoncine, embracing creativity wasn’t always easy. Coming from the Democratic Republic of Congo, adjusting to a new culture and learning how to be a mum in an unfamiliar environment posed its own challenges. When we asked if she saw herself as a creative, she hesitated, initially unsure because she didn’t believe she was doing anything particularly creative. After a bit of prompting, a moment of personal pride in the kitchen marked the start of a new creative journey for her as a mum. Creating something new, like the British classic ‘Toad in the Hole,’ made her realise that the kitchen was her space to experiment. Whilst cooking might seem like the everyday task, she saw it as a form of creativity – especially as she moved away from traditional African dishes to broaden her children’s tastes and recreate the dinners they were having at school.

Toyin also discovered that cooking became a creative process, whether it was inventing new recipes or turning mealtime into an interactive experience with her children. Both mums learnt to embrace creativity in all its forms, and their time in the kitchen became a source of self-expression.

The challenges of the COVID-19 lockdown forced all four mums to find new ways to keep their children motivated and learning during the long hours indoors. Brenda shared how she was pushed to come up with inventive ways to entertain her daughter. Rather than feeling stifled by the pressures of the pandemic, she saw it as an opportunity to explore new sides of her creativity, realising that it doesn’t always have to look a certain way. Through this, Brenda learned to innovate creatively in ways she hadn’t considered before and embraced how creativity could bloom out of limitations.

Q: Do you feel like motherhood has encouraged or changed your creativity?

“Having my daughter pushed me even more to do what I wanted in the space and to be creative.”
Brenda

For our mums, creativity wasn’t always front and centre; it was something they found their way back to during motherhood. For Brenda, having her daughter was the push she needed to pursue her creative dreams, shifting from a career in tech to music. In following her passion, she not only inspires herself but her daughter also, whose curiosity and eagerness to be involved in her work serve as a reminder that creativity can thrive for both parents and children.

Rediscovering creativity during motherhood often means finding time for personal hobbies and interests again. However, for some mums, it takes time to reconnect with themselves and their creativity after having children. For Jevetta, the birth of her son brought on postpartum depression, and she initially stepped away from her freelance creative career, unsure if or when she would return. Gradually, she began to engage with the creative hobbies that once brought her joy before motherhood, discovering that her creativity could evolve and adapt alongside her new role as a parent. She realised her creativity hadn’t disappeared – it had simply taken a new form. Motherhood had shifted her interests, and in witnessing her son’s creativity, she found herself more open to embracing her own

“Having my son, seeing his creativity and his presentness, I think that’s helped me to lean more into my creativity.”
Jevetta

Raised in an environment where creativity wasn’t encouraged, motherhood became an opportunity for Alphoncine to reinvent herself creatively. For Toyin however, it was a chance to nurture creativity in both herself and her children, sparking their imaginations from a young age. As her children grew, Toyin learned to redefine creativity for herself, giving herself the grace to slow down and enjoy life at her own pace. Whether through listening to music or visiting art galleries, she found new ways to nourish her creative spirit – ways that motherhood had helped her rediscover

Q: How do you think the creative industry can better support creative mothers?

“Being around more mothers you feel seen, you can relate with each other and offer support.”
Jevetta

Our mums thrive in circles of support where creativity and caregiving coexist. Yet, for many, that sense of community can be missing, making it harder to balance motherhood and creativity. Whilst not all our mums work in the creative industry, they each recognised how community structures shape a mum’s ability to explore her creative potential. Alphoncine reflected on how she came to understand the value of community through conversations with other mothers at her children’s school during pick-up. These short yet meaningful moments helped her adjust to her new environment. Initially hesitant to seek help due to a deeply ingrained belief that motherhood should be navigated solely with direct family support, she later realised how these spaces could foster both encouragement and inspiration

“If there were easier ways to access work and childcare, it would make things a lot easier for mothers.”
Toyin

Toyin explained that both corporate and creative industries often overlook the challenges mothers face. She believes that greater flexibility in working hours, better childcare support, and a more understanding approach to the demands of motherhood – especially for young and new mums – would help them thrive both in their careers and as parents.

For Brenda and Jevetta, both mums working in the creative industry, these support systems aren’t just helpful – they’re essential. Yet, the industry often fails to acknowledge or accommodate the realities of motherhood, leaving women to navigate these challenges alone. Limited childcare, persistent gender expectations, and the assumption that women must choose between their careers and caregiving can create significant barriers for our creative mums.

Brenda reflected on the struggles she faces in the music industry. Often centered around late-night parties and constant social events, the industry’s structures tend to exclude those with caregiving responsibilities. This forces her to miss out in an already competitive, male-dominated space, making it harder to stay visible. For many mums, it’s not just about accessing creative opportunities but also having the time and support to pursue their work, refine their skills, and invest in personal growth – all of which require proactive change within the creative industry and society as a whole to become possible

Maybe it’s time we see motherhood for what it truly is—one of the most creative roles out there.