The Importance of Creativity

We are all creative…

When you think about creativity perhaps you think of activities like art and music. While these are creative, activities like cooking and even choosing an outfit in the morning are also creative.

Creativity involves imagination. It involves perceiving in new ways, finding hidden patterns, solving problems and developing an idea into something new and original.

Being creative is good for us. Engaging in creative arts is shown to improve wellbeing, reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. It helps develop critical thinking and build confidence. It can help people become better at being able to adapt to challenges and to live with uncertainty. and it can even improve physical health.

But the creative arts has become a poor relation in our current education system. The creative arts are being squeezed out of education as more traditional or practical subjects are increasingly prioritised over creative arts .

In spite of creative arts subjects teaching skills much in demand from employers, such as collaboration, problem solving, self-expression and control, many secondary and even primary schools have reported cutting back on lesson time, staff and resources.

The lack of funding for clubs and activities for both young and old is resulting in far fewer opportunities for engaging in creative arts.

Criticism can stop creativity. Well intentioned criticism, aimed at helping a child or young person get it ‘right’, can damage a child’s natural creativity.

A fear of doing it wrong or not being good enough can quickly inhibit creativity, and so it is important to be able to create in a way that is free from expectations, judgements, criticism and outer interpretation. in other words, the person-centred way!