Setting Boundaries
Setting Boundaries as a Neurodivergent Artist: A Path to Sustainable Success
For neurodivergent artists, building a career in the arts can feel overwhelming as we navigate a world of opportunities, demands and choices while also managing our sensory needs, energy levels, communication preferences, and working styles.
Boundaries help you shape a practice that respects your needs, honours your creativity, and supports your long-term goals..
In this blog post, I’ll explore how setting boundaries can help you manage overwhelm, make informed decisions, and communicate confidently with arts organisations, galleries, and clients.
Why Boundaries Matter
To craft a sustainable, supportive career, we need to get to grips with boundary setting. It's all too easy to say yes to every opportunity that comes our way, I know, I've done it myself! But if we do that we can end up making a mess of things, getting overwhelmed, rushing ideas, delivering work that is not our best.
I think of boundaries as a frame on which we can hang the canvas of our creative practice. The frame is there to to protect your energy, your creative voice, and your mental health.
Boundaries are not about limitation — they are about creating conditions where you can thrive.
Setting Boundaries to Manage Overwhelm
In my own practice, I felt I was constantly having to manage overwhelm. I work slowly, this is something that I have come to honour and appreciate about myself, but in the early days of my practice I would often I commit myself to far too many projects, fearing that I was never doing enough.
Other times, I let myself work in environments that weren't suitable for my sensory needs, or I worked with organisations who were not clear in their expectations and communication and I just accepted that, when it would have been better to gently challenge. These situations always resulted in overwhelm and anxiety.
The following are boundaries I have set which help me (and might help you too):
Time Boundaries: I set clear work hours or studio hours. I am at my desk on work days, no excuses, I commit to a certain number of working hours in a week and stick to it. However, I also make time for rest, thinking, exercise and research, which are essential to my creative process.
Task Boundaries: This one can feel scary, but it's okay to be selective about which projects you take on. Not every opportunity needs to become a "yes" and there is only so much that you can do in the hours you have allocated to your practice.
Energy Boundaries: I notice how different activities and interactions affect my energy. If an opportunity is outside my set working hours, I make sure to factor in extra rest time before or afterwards, especially if the opportunity includes social interaction.
Sometimes, a boundary is as simple as saying, “I need a week to think about this opportunity before I can give you an answer,” instead of feeling pressured to respond immediately.
Boundaries as a Decision-Making Tool
When you're offered a residency, commission, collaboration, or exhibition opportunity, how do you decide whether it's right for you?
You can ask yourself:
Is this aligned with my current goals and interests?
Do I have the time, energy, and resources to say yes without harming my well-being?
Are the expectations clear, and do they feel reasonable for me?
Will this opportunity respect and accommodate my needs?
Having personal criteria or a simple checklist can make decision-making much less overwhelming. It might be helpful for you to think about what things are non-negotiable for you, such as, 'organisations must provide me with a clear contract' or, 'I must have the option to work flexible hours.'
Saying 'no' doesn’t close doors — it often opens up space for opportunities that are a better fit.
Communicating Boundaries with Arts Organisations, Galleries, and Clients
One of the hardest parts of boundary setting can be communicating them — especially in a professional environment where expectations may feel rigid.
Here are some tips for communicating boundaries with confidence:
Be Clear and Direct: You don't need to over-explain. A simple statement like, "I’m available for meetings on Wednesdays and Fridays," sets expectations kindly and firmly.
Use Positive Language: Frame your boundary as a way to support the best possible collaboration. For example, “To ensure I deliver my best work, I need X amount of notice for deadlines.”
Prepare Scripts: It’s a good idea to prepare and rehearse a few key phrases you can use when you feel unsure or overwhelmed. "I'm not sure I'm understanding that fully, can you describe it in a different way?"
Ask for Accommodations: You have the right to request accommodations that support your neurodivergence. This might mean asking for written instructions, flexible deadlines, sensory-friendly meeting environments, or permission to communicate via email instead of phone calls.
Boundaries don't make you "difficult." They make you clear, trustworthy, and easier to collaborate with — because people know what to expect from you.
Setting boundaries is an act of self-respect and self-trust. It's a skill that grows over time, and it’s absolutely okay to experiment, adjust, and learn as you go.
As a neurodivergent artist, your needs are valid, and creating a career that honours those needs isn't just possible — it's vital. Boundaries will help you protect and nurture your creative self so that you can work sustainably, joyfully, and on your own terms.
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