Let's work together
the cultural sector in the North East"
Rachel Adam,
Director for 'bait - Creative People and Places'
Claire Venus
Creative Entrepreneur and Mentor
Claire is a multi-passionate Engagement Consultant, Creative Facilitator and Mentor who helps creatives and small businesses go from confused and indecisive to strategic and free feeling
She uses holistic person-centred creativity and wellbeing techniques to align clients to new balance in their life and work.
She lives by the Northumberland coast under dark skies with her husband, two children and 5 pet chickens.
Claire has had a twenty-year career in the arts and heritage sector and has worked internationally in America, South Africa and Europe. Her projects are regularly supported by Arts Council England.
Corporate clients include Action for Children, Andersen Press, BBC, Berwick Visual Arts, Creative People and Places, Creative UK, National Trust, Northumberland County Council, NewcastleGateshead Initiative, Tate Modern and Substack.
Artist/ writer clients include international best selling authors, influencers and award winning artists.
Claire has worked tirelessly to support, inspire and mentor thousands of artists and creatives through programmes and projects over an impressive twenty year career.
Over her career, she has partnered with and worked with a diverse range of children and families, young people and artists and is passionate about amplifying and sharing underrepresented voice.
In recent years, she has appeared as a speaker on the topic of culture, creativity, engagement and wellbeing at North East Culture Partnership’s Annual Forum and for Arts Council England, Action for Children, Creative UK, National Trust, Newcastle University, North East Cultural Freelancers, The Alnwick Story Festival and Make and Mend Festival.
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Claire has fundraised for tens of millions of pounds worth of cultural activity and worked on two cultural projects for young people that have won Journal Culture Awards (Best Event Tyneside, Best Overall Event and Best Event for Young People).
Since launching her Substack support programme, Claire has supported and mentored over 5000 writers, artists, creatives and influencers to start and grow a Substack and now supports over 300 people in her membership.
Creatively Conscious by name and by nature...
Building an online creative business
I'm so proud of the work I do online. I’ve built an online creative business that feels joyful, aligned, and truly sustainable—and I’d love to help you do the same. Whether you're growing your newsletter, launching a podcast, or building a supportive membership, you're in the right place.
✨ Podcast: My Substack podcast Sparkle has hit 45,000 downloads!
✨ Newsletter: Over 15,000 email subscribers—join us for insights, inspiration, and strategy.
✨ Membership: A beautiful, supportive space with nearly 500 creatives who love community and accountability.
✨ Online Audience: 30K+ across Substack, YouTube & IG—let’s connect!
Come join the conversation, get inspired, and grow your creative business in a way that truly feels good. 💫
Podcast
My podcast Sparkle on Substack hit 45k downloads in March 2025
Email newsletters
I have over 15,000 email subscribers, come and sign up to get the good stuff and join the conversation.
Membership
I adore working inside my membership, if you love community and need gentle accountability, head over and join almost 500 beautiful souls
Online Audiences
I'm love hanging our on instagram and connecting with you all on YouTube too. I have over 30k followers/ subs across Substack, YouTube and IG - Join me and connect?
Leila D'aronville - North East Cultural Freelancers.
More about Claire and her company Creatively Conscious
Claire loves to write and in Winter can be found cosying by her log burning fire journal in hand BIG dreams at the ready.
She’s passionate about our lived experiences as humans and creatives and a huge champion for environmental issues and climate hope.
In Summer, you’ll find her tending to pink and yellow blooms in her allotment garden and feeding the compost and the chickens.
She is the author of two creativity and wellbeing journals, two business development journals and her own podcast - Sparkle on Substack
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Looking for an Engagement Consultant
Looking for a creative faciliator?
Looking for a mentor?
Looking to work with me 1-2-1?
A few things I'm proud of...
My children. L & LJ.
That I've mentored over 600 people from all over the world.
I have over 14k readers signed up to my email list in over 90 countries around the world.
I have more than 500 members in my community.
My arts development projects have won three Journal Culture Awards.
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I consciously live life in the slow lane and my world revolves around life first, work second. That said I LOVE what I do and feel driven and full of purpose to support and help creatives who also like to write.
"I've been a fan of Claire's work since I stumbled first stumbled across her Substack Education. I hired her as my engagement consultant and consider her as one of the top experts on building a Substack from the ground up that will fill you with joy."
Russell Nohelty, Writer MBA & The Author Stack
My clients and commissioners include
My Training
I graduated in 2002 with a BA (hons) Film, TV, Literature and Theatre from the University of Leeds. My campus was in the magical and historically significant town of York.
I moved to Leeds and then very quickly to Newcastle a few month's after graduating and up to the Northumberland Coast in 2015.
I trained as a professional mentor with Changemakers (now Foyer Foundation) in 2009.
Before that, I was busy working my way around the city working in arts venues and for museums.
I directed small arts projects, multi partner and art form festivals and events and LOVED it all.
I did my first piece of Engagement Consultation work in 2010 for Tyne and Wear Museums and I've never looked back.
Frequently asked questions
Looking for something else, feel free to contact me.
What does an Engagement Consultant do?
My work is bespoke and designed with the client in mind. Usually a client is interesting in growing their audience, deepening their relationship with their clients or growing their online presence.
It can include;
research and development
strategy writing
staff training
consultancy
Where do you work?
I work online mainly but also take the odd contract abroad and local to me in Northumberland or further afield if I feel it's a good fit.
Do you have a team?
Yes I have three virtual assistants with complimentary skillsets, my accountant and pay for various software to help me deliver the work I do.