Resurgent CreativeLive Is Back With New Classes

From shutdown to sudden revival, CreativeLive is relaunching with live classes, expanded subjects, and a Reddit AMA as it re-engages photographers and creatives worldwide.

For much of the past decade, CreativeLive stood as one of the most recognizable names in online creative education. Founded in 2010 by photographer and entrepreneur Chase Jarvis and Craig Swanson, the platform built its reputation on live-streamed workshops featuring working professionals across photography, design, business, music, and creative entrepreneurship.

Its model was distinctive at the time: students could watch classes live for free and purchase lifetime access to recordings. The approach combined the energy of real-time instruction with the flexibility of on-demand viewing, helping CreativeLive carve out a strong niche in the early era of online learning.

Over the years, the company raised significant venture funding, expanded its mobile and TV apps, and attracted instructors ranging from award-winning photographers to bestselling authors. But like many long-form education platforms, it faced mounting challenges as short-form content, free tutorials, and algorithm-driven video platforms reshaped how people consume educational material.

In 2021, CreativeLive was acquired by freelance marketplace Fiverr, folding into its broader strategy to support freelancers with both education and client access. Despite that backing, and as covered by PetaPixel, CreativeLive announced in September 2025 that it would shut down by the end of the year, citing sustainability concerns in a rapidly shifting digital landscape.

Just weeks before closure, however, the platform was acquired by online learning marketplace CourseHorse, halting the shutdown and setting the stage for a relaunch.

While the acquisition technically rescued the platform, CreativeLive’s public presence had largely faded long before the shutdown announcement.

Until recently, its last Facebook post dated back to October 6, 2022. For more than three years, its social channels remained silent, reinforcing the perception that the once-vibrant creative hub had quietly receded from the broader conversation.

That changed on January 26, 2026. In its first Facebook post since 2022, CreativeLive addressed its community directly.

“As we prepare for the relaunch of CreativeLive, we’ve been spending time listening to students and instructors, and one thing has become beautifully clear: CreativeLive has played a meaningful role in so many journeys. We’ve heard stories of careers launched, confidence found, passions reignited, and creative dreams finally given permission to grow. For some, CreativeLive was a spark. For others, it was a lifeline. For many, it was the first place they truly felt like they belonged in a creative community,” CreativeLive wrote.

The tone marked a clear shift. Rather than focusing on corporate restructuring or business strategy, the post centered on community memory and identity.

On February 5, CreativeLive followed up with a more concrete announcement: live classes were officially returning.

In another Facebook post, the company wrote:

“We are excited to announce that CreativeLive is officially bringing back live classes. That means real-time learning, expert instructors, and the kind of shared energy that only happens when we’re all in the room together (even if that room is virtual),” CreativeLive’s post states.

The post also asked followers what kinds of education they feel are most relevant now, acknowledging how much photography and creative industries have changed. It invited discussion around technical skills, industry realities, and broader creative growth.

The announcement listed several instructors participating in the relaunch, including Jared Platt, Mark Wallace, Lisa Carney, Karen Alsop, Andrew Scrivani, Pye Jirsa, and others across photography and video disciplines.

Since then, CreativeLive’s social feeds have shifted into a more active rhythm, highlighting upcoming classes across diverse subjects. While photography remains central to its identity, recent posts promote sessions on food photography, travel storytelling, composting, and artificial intelligence, suggesting a broader curriculum expansion beyond its traditional focus.

The next step in the relaunch strategy moves beyond Facebook. CreativeLive has announced that on February 17, it will host an Ask Me Anything session on Reddit’s r/Photography community. The post reads:

“On February 17, CreativeLive will be hosting an AMA on Reddit’s r/Photography, and we’d love for you to join the conversation! Come ask questions, share your thoughts and stories, connect with fellow photographers and other creatives looking to learn more about who we are and what we do. Mark your calendars! We’ll see you there,” CreativeLive’s post states.

The AMA represents a notable outreach effort. Rather than relying solely on its existing audience, CreativeLive is stepping into one of the largest and most candid online photography communities to reintroduce itself.

CreativeLive’s trajectory mirrors the broader arc of online education over the past 15 years: early experimentation with live streaming, rapid venture-backed expansion, acquisition, retrenchment, and now reinvention.

The platform’s silence between 2022 and early 2026 marked a dramatic pause. Its return, however, is being framed not just as a technical relaunch but as a community reconnection.

Whether the renewed focus on live classes, broader subject matter, and direct engagement through forums like Reddit can translate into sustained growth remains to be seen. What is clear is that CreativeLive is attempting something increasingly rare in the tech and education space: a visible comeback after an announced shutdown.

For a platform that once positioned itself as a spark for creative careers, its own revival may become part of its story.

Image credits: CreativeLive