CreativeLive — Acting & Performance

CreativeLive was founded in 2010 by Chase Jarvis, a renowned photographer, and Craig Swanson, building what would become the world's largest live-streaming education platform for creative professionals. The platform originally made its name by broadcasting high-quality classes for free during their live airing, with on-demand access available for purchase afterward — a model that attracted millions of viewers and established CreativeLive as a major player in online creative education. Over its 15-year history, CreativeLive built a library of over 2,000 courses featuring more than 700 top industry instructors across creative disciplines including photography, design, music, art, entrepreneurship, and performance. The platform's journey took a dramatic turn in September 2025 when CreativeLive announced it would shut down on December 31, 2025, sending shockwaves through its community of students and instructors. However, in a last-minute rescue, CourseHorse — an online marketplace for in-person and virtual classes — acquired CreativeLive on December 15, 2025, just 15 days before the scheduled shutdown. Registrations reopened on December 16, 2025, and the platform continues to operate under new ownership, though the long-term format and content strategy are still evolving.

In 2025 and into 2026, CreativeLive operates under CourseHorse ownership with its course library intact but its future direction still being defined. The platform's acting and performance offerings, while not its largest category, include professionally produced classes on on-camera presence, audition skills, storytelling, public speaking for performers, body language, voice modulation, and stage presence. CreativeLive's primary strength lies in performance-adjacent skills rather than core acting technique — the platform excels at teaching the communication, self-presentation, and personal branding skills that support an acting career rather than the foundational craft training (scene study, technique, methodology) that dedicated acting schools provide. Instructors include working professionals and recognized experts in their fields, though the roster is more heavily weighted toward photographers, designers, and entrepreneurs than performers. The near-closure and acquisition have created uncertainty about whether new acting and performance courses will be added under the new ownership or whether the existing library will remain static. Students considering CreativeLive should check the current state of the platform and available courses before making purchasing decisions.

Getting started on CreativeLive requires creating an account and browsing the course library, which remains available following the CourseHorse acquisition. The platform historically offered two ways to access content: purchasing individual classes outright or subscribing to the Creator Pass for unlimited library access. Under the new ownership, the access model may be evolving — prospective students should check the current pricing and subscription options on the website. Each course listing includes a detailed description, instructor bio, curriculum outline, and preview clips that help students assess quality and relevance before committing. Classes are professionally produced with studio-quality video and audio, downloadable materials, exercises, and bonus content. The production quality has consistently been one of CreativeLive's strongest differentiators — even the platform's critics acknowledge that the courses look and sound excellent. For acting students specifically, the course selection process is important because the acting-specific library is relatively small compared to the platform's photography and design offerings.

The learning experience on CreativeLive is defined by professional production quality and instructor expertise in their specific domains. Acting and performance classes typically run two to eight hours of total content, broken into lessons of 15 to 45 minutes each. The classes were originally designed to be watched live with audience interaction, and many retain that live-class energy — instructors address questions from in-studio audiences, demonstrate techniques with live participants, and create a dynamic learning atmosphere that feels more engaging than typical pre-recorded content. The acting-adjacent classes on body language, voice projection, storytelling, and personal branding draw on insights from actors, coaches, communications experts, and business leaders, creating a multidisciplinary perspective on performance skills. For actors specifically, the strongest offerings tend to be in areas where performance intersects with professional communication — classes on commanding a room, projecting confidence, and crafting a compelling personal narrative have direct applications to auditions, meetings with agents, and networking events. The downloadable materials and exercises extend the learning beyond video viewing, giving students practical tools to apply in their daily lives.

CreativeLive's student base has historically been predominantly creative professionals — photographers, designers, artists, and entrepreneurs — with actors and performers representing a smaller but significant segment of the audience. The platform's acting and performance courses attract performers who are looking to develop the business and communication skills that complement their craft training, rather than the core acting technique that dedicated platforms like ActingStudioOnline or MasterClass provide. The near-shutdown in 2025 may have affected the size and engagement of the community, and the CourseHorse acquisition is still early enough that the new community dynamics are not yet fully established. For actors, the most relevant CreativeLive courses tend to be those that bridge performance and professional development — public speaking, personal branding, on-camera confidence, and storytelling — skills that serve actors in audition rooms, meetings, and self-marketing efforts. The instructor roster includes Grammy and Oscar winners, bestselling authors, and industry leaders, though the acting-specific instructors are fewer in number than instructors in photography and design.

CreativeLive's pricing has historically included two options: individual class purchases at $50 to $200 per class and the Creator Pass subscription at $12.42 per month (annual billing), $15 per month (12-month commitment), or $39 per month (no commitment). Under the new CourseHorse ownership, pricing may be evolving — prospective students should verify current rates on the website before purchasing. The Creator Pass, when available, represents good value for students who plan to watch multiple courses, as the annual rate works out to less than the cost of a single individual class purchase per month. Individual class purchases provide permanent access to the specific course, which is useful for students who only want one or two specific classes. The near-shutdown and acquisition may have affected promotional pricing, refund policies, and subscription terms, so checking current terms is essential. Compared to other online learning platforms, CreativeLive's per-class prices are in the mid-to-upper range, while the subscription option is competitive with Skillshare and MasterClass.

CreativeLive is best suited for actors who want to develop the professional communication and self-marketing skills that support an acting career — if you need to improve your on-camera confidence, public speaking ability, personal branding, or networking skills, CreativeLive offers excellent options in a format that is more polished and engaging than what you will find elsewhere. It is a strong supplement to core acting training but should not be your primary or sole source of acting education. Before purchasing, verify the platform's current status under CourseHorse ownership — check available courses, pricing, and subscription terms to ensure the content you want is still accessible. If you find relevant courses at a fair price, the production quality and instructor expertise make CreativeLive a worthwhile investment for the specific skills it covers. For core acting technique, scene study, and audition preparation, look to dedicated platforms like ActingStudioOnline, The Actors Pulse Online, or in-person training instead. Actors who already subscribe to MasterClass and want additional creative education may find the Creator Pass offers complementary value.

Before subscribing or purchasing, check the current state of CreativeLive under its new CourseHorse ownership — the platform has been through significant upheaval, and confirming that the courses you want are still available and the pricing terms are acceptable should be your first step. Focus on the performance-adjacent courses rather than looking for traditional acting classes — CreativeLive's strongest offerings for actors are in public speaking, body language, storytelling, personal branding, and on-camera confidence, not scene study or technique. If the Creator Pass subscription is available, do the math on whether you will watch enough courses to justify the monthly cost versus purchasing one or two specific classes outright. Take notes during classes and create action items for yourself — the high production quality can create a false sense of learning where you feel inspired while watching but cannot recall or apply the content afterward. Look for classes that include practical exercises and downloadable materials, as these extend the value beyond the video content and give you specific tools to work with.