How Calum Hall’s Creative Debuts platform is breaking down barriers in the art world — creating space for emerging voices and making art a shared language, not a gated privilege.
Creative Debuts Founder Calum Hall’s journey into the art world didn’t begin with gallery openings or fine art degrees framed in oak. Hall came to it the way many working-class dreamers do — through the back door. Well, not entirely — but we’ll get to that in a minute.
It started in a modest home in North East England, where creativity meant his mother’s careful hands knitting warmth into sweaters, and second-hand treasures spoke volumes on charity shop shelves. There, among the practical and the personal, Hall learnt that art wasn’t a luxury — it was a language.
That early, intimate connection to creativity would go on to shape a deeper frustration: the art world, as he encountered it, seemed built for the few, not the many. “I’ve been to countless exhibitions, events, and art fairs that seem to showcase the same artists time and time again,” Hall reflects. “But what about all the incredibly talented artists who aren’t represented by galleries, or who can’t afford the cost of a fair booth?”
Image courtesy of Creative Debuts
Credit Kevin Takagi Sanchez
Creative Debuts is a platform for artists to get their work seen and discovered in often unconventional spaces — spaces crying out for creativity
Creative Debuts Founder Calum Hall
Moving to London to study at Goldsmiths, Hall found the gap between art and access even more stark. What was supposed to be a bastion of progressive thought felt, instead, like a closed circuit of inherited privilege. The disconnect grew sharper: the art world he encountered felt less like a community and more like a gate-kept gallery — open only to those with the right surname, the right postcode, the right handshake.
Well, Hall didn’t actually come through the back door — he built his own. He didn’t just walk away from the traditional structures; he challenged them.
He founded Creative Debuts not as a brand, but as a response. A refusal. A place where art could live beyond the four walls of the porcelain-coloured cube. “Creative Debuts is a platform for artists to get their work seen and discovered in often unconventional spaces — spaces crying out for creativity — whether that’s a retail unit, an office, or the side of a building. For us, any surface is a canvas. We are not limited to the walls of a gallery.”
With “Buy Art From Living Artists. The Dead Ones Don’t Need The Money” as a rallying cry, Hall created a platform with a defiant spirit and a democratic soul — one built to champion emerging artists from backgrounds often left out of the conversation.
From public murals that brighten grey streets to no-strings-attached artist grants, Creative Debuts doesn’t just challenge the art world — it reimagines it. The platform is now in full swing, placing art in partnership with global brands such as Disney, Spotify, and more.
Nearly a decade after leaving his full-time job to pursue the project, Hall remains as committed as ever. Creative Debuts isn’t just shifting the frame — it’s tearing down the walls.
Born from a belief that art should be for everyone, it bridges the gap between the overlooked and the open-eyed, connecting artists with those hungry to see, feel, and belong.
This is art without permission.
Access without exception.
Art not as a commodity, but as a communal force.
We managed to catch up with Hall to learn more about his story — and the deeper essence behind Creative Debuts.
What inspired you to start Creative Debuts, and what was the journey like getting it off the ground?
Calum Hall: Growing up in the North East of England in a single-parent, working-class household, I presumed the lack of opportunities for myself and fellow artists studying at school was just typical of the lack of prospects in the area in general. I grew up in a household surrounded by creativity, primarily that of my mum’s, with her various knitting projects or crocheted charity shop finds on the walls, so I always appreciated how spaces can reflect and celebrate those within it. However, when visiting my friends’ houses etc., many didn’t have art on the walls, and the only thing that would offer some uniqueness would be family photos etc.
Clearly, there was a disconnect between art lovers and connecting with artists. Many people don’t know where to look, and there is a big issue with accessibility for everyone. Loving art and engaging with it should be for everyone, as ultimately, ‘Home is where the art is!’. While I love IKEA, I have seen far too many copy-and-paste NYC skyline artworks to cover the rest of my life, so that further sparked my commitment to connect artists to art lovers and vice versa.
When I moved to London for university at Goldsmiths, I was still hearing the typical nonsense of “get a proper job”, “art is a hobby” and “living artists don’t make any money”. This resulted in the Creative Debuts motto of “Buy Art From Living Artists. The Dead Ones Don’t Need The Money”. These counterproductive narratives that young artists encounter reinforce the reality that a career path is very unclear.
That being said, unless one has the financial backing and contacts to call on – which most of us don’t! Motivated and inspired by the breadth of creative talent that is currently going under the radar, Creative Debuts is committed to disrupting and democratising the art world and to connect artists with art lovers while improving access for everyone to art. Without an established path to follow, I did it the only way I know, which is through learning as I’m going and being loud and proud for the talented creative community I proudly represent.
Image courtesy of Creative Debuts
Can you tell us a bit about what Creative Debuts offers to both artists and collectors?
Calum Hall: Connection to each other is fundamentally what it’s all about. We all want to know who the most exciting up-and-coming talents are, but with the art world being so closed off, pretentious, and exclusive, my mission has been to open it up — to enable art lovers and artists to truly connect. I want to ensure that artists are respected, celebrated, and paid fairly for their work, while guiding them through the process of learning the necessary skills to pursue a career in the arts.
I feel that, because I’m on a similar journey to many of the artists — navigating this rollercoaster of business life as I go — it creates a bond. We’re all in this together, sharing the mission of championing talent and breathing life into unloved spaces.
I’ve been to countless exhibitions, events, and art fairs that seem to showcase the same artists time and time again. But what about all the incredibly talented artists who aren’t represented by galleries, or who can’t afford the cost of a fair booth?
Creative Debuts is a platform for artists to get their work seen and discovered in often unconventional spaces — spaces crying out for creativity — whether that’s a retail unit, an office, or the side of a building. For us, any surface is a canvas. We are not limited to the walls of a gallery.
Time and time again, we see that it’s not a lack of talent that holds artists back, but a lack of opportunities and access to knowledge. So, for both artists and art lovers, our mission is aligned.
Image courtesy of Creative Debuts
How do you go about selecting the artists that you work with? What’s the criteria?
Calum Hall: We actively have open doors for all artists. We don’t care about social media following, sales history, or whose one’s contacts may be. Our mission is celebrating talent and democratising the art world through championing artists from marginalised communities as much as possible. Less dusty old fruit bowl painting and more innovate and exciting artworks that spark conversations and connect people. We have no artist exclusivities and encourage artists to work with as many other curators / platforms and galleries as possible, as we want artists to make money, gather experience, and fulfil their potential.
We have open arms to everyone. All we hope for is that artists can reply to emails, are professional in their approach regardless of experience, and have talent. We have an incredible community, so when we have open calls etc., the response and sharing is so heartwarming, and we are always discovering new talent.
Often the projects will help steer the selection process — for example, if it’s for a sculpture or a mural, then that provides some parameters. However, if artists have no experience but are keen to learn, we are there to support and also connect less experienced artists with more established ones. The more skills and knowledge sharing, the better!
Image courtesy of Creative Debuts
The concept of artist grants is really interesting. Can you explain how that works and what it aims to achieve for emerging artists?
Calum Hall: Our goal was to make the process easy as possible. While we wish there was no need for any grants, unfortunately it’s the world we live in, so we are doing what we can to support those that need it the most.
In the wake of the murder of George Floyd in 2020, we launched our first grant, the Black Artists Grant (BAG). As with all our grants, our goal is to support the artist and not be restricted to a project. For example, if the recipient wants to use the money for rent, to take their mum on holiday, or for art supplies, that’s all good with us. As ultimately, it’s about supporting the artist themselves and valuing them as people. We have no reporting or anything like that. And with BAG, we partner with Black selectors so grant remains within the Black community, as it wouldn’t be appropriate for me, for example, to be the selector. March 2025 saw the 135 recipient of BAG.
We have also hosted grants supporting artists during the cost of living crisis, young creators working in streetwear, and also artists focussing on creating artwork promoting social causes.
What’s been the most rewarding experience for you since launching Creative Debuts?
Calum Hall: For me personally, leaving my fulltime job in 2016 to pursue CD full time will always be the most rewarding moment, as this then enabled me to dedicate all my time and energy to what I love and to the creative community that inspires me every day. With no established path to follow, I am really proud of how I have navigated this journey while keeping my authenticity, integrity, and purpose.
Image courtesy of Creative Debuts
Have you faced any challenges along the way? How did you overcome them?
Calum Hall: So many I don’t know where to start! Firstly, coming from a background with no business experience or financial security, it has been a heavy-duty learning experience that has resulted in many tears but ultimately triumphs. Navigating all aspects of business life has been incredibly eye-opening and, truthfully, a lot harder than I had initially thought it would be. I feel that the entrepreneurial experience is filled with Instagram caption-style advice and fortune cookie-esque guidance that is more smoke and mirrors than genuinely helpful.
The lack of diversity in the arts and the incredibly low representation of those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds means that, more often than not, the narrative is being driven by those who have a totally different background to me and the CD community. With this in mind, I go with my instinct and I try as much as I can to be vulnerable and honest, but to act with the artists centred at every decision.
Whether it was Brexit, Covid, cost of living, or the numerous social issues our community have faced, it feels like as one challenge is overcome, the next is right around the corner and lurking in the shadows. However, I feel that what CD experiences is that of what our artists experience, and we are all in it together.
As creatives, we are resilient, and as the challenges get harder, we get louder and bolder. Next year marks 10 years since I left my full time job at Red Bull to focus on CD full time, and I couldn’t be prouder to still be standing and to still be as purposeful with the work we do as we are. The incredible clients we have partnered with over the years, it shows that there is a growing appetite for brands and business to connect with artists, and this is a trend I only see increasing as the need for authentic storytelling, unique experiences, and connecting communities becomes even more paramount.
Image courtesy of Creative Debuts
How do you see the role of technology in the art world evolving, and how does Creative Debuts fit into that?
Calum Hall: Technology is another exciting vehicle for artists and art lovers to connect, and unlocks new levels of creativity and engagement. Whether that’s through enhanced opportunities for story telling or for igniting art through AR or VR. However, what’s really important for me is to bring people away from their screens to connect in real life as much as possible, as I feel we need this more than ever. We already do this through the art we put in commercial spaces, hands-on workshops connecting people, or through our jam-packed, accessible and inclusive events.
We work with so many incredible digital artists, and with technology advancing quicker than we can keep up with, I feel that the “in real life” experience will always be the holy grail for artists and art lovers, as we seek closer connections with others and the spaces we frequent.
AI is yet another challenge and a tool that artists and creatives face. While I wish AI focussed more on doing household chores and life admin than copying artists’ work, I’m excited to see how artists will evolve and adapt to it. With my LinkedIn feed being a forever scroll of the latest AI trend — currently it’s everyone turning themselves into action figures, and last week it was ripping off Studio Ghibli — I hope this will reinforce to us all that we need art and creativity in our lives, and that working with living artists instead of robots is really where the future lies.
Image courtesy of Creative Debuts
What advice would you give to aspiring artists looking to break into the industry today?
Calum Hall: Be authentic, explore, experiment, and have fun. While it’s so easy to be captivated by the Instagram algorithm and to convince yourself that others around you are being more successful, the best thing you can do is to be you, as no one can do that. It’s also really important to have an up-to-date portfolio and be easily contactable.
Make it easy for those who love what you’re doing and who want to support or partner with you to connect with you. You never know who is keeping an eye on what you’re doing but waiting for that perfect project, so be consistent, keep learning, and be yourself.
Are there any upcoming projects or past collaborations at Creative Debuts that you’re particularly excited about / proud of?
Calum Hall: There are so many that have been incredibly influential to CD and our creative community. Every single project has come through a word-of-mouth recommendation, so to be able to single one out is impossible, and so many have been career milestones not just to me but for the artists involved. As one project leads to the other, and the amazing people who have backed what we do and believed in our community has always left me feeling quite emotional, if I’m honest.
While the origin of CD has been to champion artists, none of it would have been possible without our partners that have provided so many incredible opportunities. I’ll always be so appreciative and thankful for them in opening the doors to our emerging creative community and for believing in our mission.
Lastly, what’s your vision for the future of Creative Debuts in the next few years?
Calum Hall: Well, if the last 12 years is anything to go by, I have to expect the unexpected! I feel that the business is more purposeful and committed to the creative community we proudly represent than ever. So, my vision is to keep celebrating talented artists and to connect with forward-thinking brands and business that value a more diverse and inclusive world where creativity and community is celebrated.
©2025 Creative Debuts
Len is a curator and a contributing writer at Art Plugged, a platform for contemporary art; he also engages in web development, design, and marketing.
