Neil Gaiman University of the Arts Commencement Address (2012)

Delivered at the University of the Arts in 2012, Neil Gaiman's address has become a modern touchstone for creators in every discipline. Gaiman argues that early career ignorance is actually an enormous asset, freeing beginners from conventional rules because they do not yet know what is considered impossible. He introduces the metaphor of walking toward a distant mountain, counseling graduates to use their creative goals as a north star when facing tough decisions. Above all, his central maxim remains thrillingly practical: whether you are dealing with heartbreak, illness, catastrophe, or sudden success, the only sensible response is to make good art. It is an indispensable, generous manifesto for creative resilience.