Except for graphics, audio, and GUIs for which no good solutions exist
I'd consider revisiting this. These days you can do studio level video production, graphics and pro audio on Linux using native commercial software from a bare install on modern distributions.
I do pro audio on Linux, my commercial DAWs, VSTs, etc are all Linux-native these days. I don't have to think about anything sound-wise because Pipewire handles it all automatically. IMO, Linux has arrived when it comes to this niche recently, five years ago I'd have to fuck around with JACK, install/compile a realtime kernel and wouldn't have as many DAWs & VSTs available.
Similarly, I have a friend in video production and VFX whose studio uses Linux everywhere. Blender, DaVinci Resolve, etc make that easy.
There is a lack of options when it comes to pro illustration and raster graphics. The Adobe suite reigns supreme there.
Can you tell me more about the audio work you’re doing (sound design? instrument tracking? mixing? mastering? god help you live sound?) and the distro and applications you use?
I am more amateur/hobbyist than pro, but this is the primary reason I’m on macOS and I wouldn’t mind reasons to try Linux again (Ubuntu Studio ~8 years ago was my last foray).
> (sound design? instrument tracking? mixing? mastering? god help you live sound?)
This minus live sound, and I stick exclusively to MIDI controllers.
> and the distro and applications you use?
I'm on EndeavourOS, which is just Arch with a GUI installer + some default niceties.
I came from using Reaper on macOS, which is native on Linux, but was really impressed with Bitwig Studio[1] so I use that for most of everything.
I really like u-he & TAL's commercial offerings, Vital, and I got mileage out of pages like this[2] that list plugins that are Linux compatible. I'm insane so I also sometimes use paid Windows plugins over Yabridge, which works surprisingly well, but my needs have been suited well by what's available for Linux.
There's also some great open source plugins like Surge XT, Dexed & Vaporizer2, and unique plugins ChowMatrix.
> I wouldn’t mind reasons to try Linux again (Ubuntu Studio ~8 years ago was my last foray).
IMO the state of things is pretty nice now, assuming your hardware and software needs can be met. If you give it a try, I think a rolling release would be best, as you really want the latest Pipewire/Wireplumber support you can get.
Affinity suite has decent Wine community support by the way for raster / vector graphics.