Professional development for those pursuing a career in creative industries is typically driven by individual practitioners, given most areas (e.g. photography, design, film) do not require membership with a regulatory organisation or evidence of continuing skills development. For those based regionally, opportunities for professional development are also less available than for those in capital cities. This paper reports on the findings of a survey (N = 151) and follow-up interviews (N = 29) with current creative industries practitioners in the regional city of Townsville in northern Australia, in relation to professional development opportunities and issues faced as a result of being located a substantial distance from the nearest capital city. The findings reveal a range of key challenges for regional practitioners due to distance and access to specialists in the field, yet at the same time a number of opportunities for those who display human agency and who are agentic learners.