How Young Creatives Can Turn Passion into Career Opportunities

For many young creatives, the challenge isn't finding a passion. It's figuring out what comes next.

At a time when disruption and AI are reshaping entry-level careers and traditional career paths feel less predictable, more young people are looking for ways to turn creative interests into something sustainable. They want meaningful work, stronger community connections, and opportunities to build something of their own, but often don't know where to start.

Colby King believes the missing piece isn't passion—it's a pathway.

"Project management is the bridge between creative passion and opportunity," says Colby.

That belief is at the center of his work helping LGBTQ+ youth and young creatives build pathways from artistic passion to professional opportunity.

By day, he works as a Campaign Operations Analyst at Justworks, using project management skills like planning, coordination, and communication to help deliver creative marketing campaigns. Outside of work, he's the founder of the Kiki Arts Collaborative, an organization helping LGBTQ+ youth and young creatives transform artistic passion into real-world opportunities. A recipient of The David Prize—a $200,000 unrestricted award recognizing visionary New Yorkers—Colby is expanding the organization's work to support artist development while preparing young people for careers.

For Colby, the question isn't whether creativity can lead to a career. It's how young people can build the skills, networks, and confidence to make that happen.

"Here's the budget I'm giving you. Here's the amount of time that you have. This is the scale of the project that you want,” explains Colby.

For many young people, the challenge isn't a lack of ambition. It's figuring out how to move from where they are today to where they want to be.

"I feel like a lot of times people see the dream that they want, but they don't know how to get there."

That's where breaking big goals into smaller, actionable steps becomes powerful. “What is the small thing? What is the small step that you do here that leads you to the next thing that leads you to the next thing that eventually helps you get there,” he says.

"I think for people that are artists and creatives, they forget that project management is part of the job,” says Colby. “You can be extremely talented, but if you can't meet a deadline, that's not going to translate."

Why access and mentorship matter for creative careers

Colby's perspective is shaped by his own experience. Growing up in Texas, he benefited from programs that expanded what he believed was possible for his future. From Head Start to Columbia University, opportunities, mentors, and support systems helped him access worlds he otherwise might never have known existed.

"I don't believe everyone starts from the same place,” says Colby. “A lot of where I am today is because people invested in me, opened doors for me, and helped me see opportunities I didn't even know existed."

"From Head Start to Columbia, there were people and programs that poured into me,” he explains. “I think a lot about what my life would have looked like if I hadn't had access to those opportunities."

As he became more involved in the Kiki scene, he saw many young people facing a similar challenge. They had talent, ambition, and creativity. What was often missing was access to networks, opportunities, mentorship, and exposure.

"There were entire industries and career paths I didn't know existed growing up,” he says. “Exposure changes everything."

One of Colby's passions is helping young people see how the things they already love can connect to meaningful careers.

"A lot of young people know what they love doing, but they don't always know what careers exist around those interests,” he explains. “Part of my work is helping them connect those dots."

Through mentorship, workshops, fellowships, partnerships, and community programming, the Kiki Arts Collaborative helps young creatives understand how their passions can evolve into sustainable opportunities.

The organization's work goes beyond visibility. It focuses on creating pathways. "Visibility is important, but visibility without access doesn't change outcomes," he says.

That's one reason Colby founded the Kiki Arts Collaborative, to help ensure that recognition is paired with resources, support, and opportunities for growth.

The organization supports artists and young creatives through mentorship, professional development, networking opportunities, fellowships, and community programming designed to help participants build both creative and professional skills.

"Working with Colby and Kiki Arts Collaborative has brought me closer to my purpose in ways I never imagined,” says Noa Aviles. “Every day, I’m grateful to be part of work that is not only groundbreaking, but deeply transformative for our community. Colby is a visionary, an incredible mentor, and an absolute joy to know and work alongside. Being trusted with this work has truly been one of the greatest gifts of my journey."

"I want queer young people and young people of color to have ownership over their creativity and access to the resources that help them build sustainable careers,” says Colby.

At the heart of that work is a commitment to giving back. "I've benefited from so many people sharing their time, knowledge, and networks with me,” he says. “Giving back is how I honor that."

Sometimes that means helping someone prepare for an interview. Sometimes it means making an introduction, applying for funding, or navigating a professional environment for the first time.

"Sometimes all it takes is one introduction, one mentor, or one person believing in you to completely change your trajectory," he says.

Creating opportunities through project management

Colby's work is ultimately about helping young people build futures that reflect their talent, creativity, and potential.

For him, the most valuable skills aren't just professional skills. They're the skills that help people gain momentum in their own lives." When young people understand how to plan, advocate for themselves, build relationships, and execute on their goals, they're not just learning project management,” he explains. “They're learning how to create opportunities for themselves."

For Colby, success isn't measured by how far he's come. It's measured by how many people he can help bring along with him.

Tags: Career Development | Leadership | Project Management

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