The biggest creativity event of its kind is coming to the Hutt Valley and Wellington in April. The New Zealand Creativity Challenge 2015 will host experts from around the world and will be based next to the region’s School of Creativity, The Learning Connexion.
Lead presenters include Robert and Michele Root-Bernstein (authors of Sparks of Genius), Steven Pritzker (joint Editor in Chief of the Encyclopedia of Creativity), Ruth Richards (editor of Everyday Creativity and New Views of Human Nature) and Emeritus Professor Arthur Cropley (author of Creativity in Education and Learning).
The Challenge is about crossing boundaries and reconnecting creativity across disciplines. It’s time for business to take a fresh approach to innovation and invention. It’s time for the arts and sciences to get back together.
Creativity is central to our ability to thrive in an ever-changing world. Famous examples include the invention of the internet, painting the Mona Lisa, discovery of penicillin, landing a space craft on a comet. Less famous examples are prolific and happen every day.
One type of creativity is about extending existing skills and knowledge into new territory. Probably the comet mission is an example – brilliant, multidisciplinary, reaching into new territory but mostly based on what scientists and engineers already know.
In the art world new ‘movements’ are driven by creativity and often signify a seismic shift in the meaning of art. Jackson Pollock’s ‘Jack the Dripper’ paintings might not be as important as quantum physics but among other things they linked art with nature through fractal geometry – a new way of thinking.
Creativity is vital to all areas of human activity that require us to adapt to change. We have to be creative in responding to global warming, conflict, the limitations of growth, justice, equity and so on. Ironically some of our biggest problems are themselves products of creativity. The use of fossil fuels has had amazing benefits and has lurched us towards potential calamity. Part of the challenge is to achieve a sustainable balance.
To find out more about the NZ Creativity Challenge, click here.
Here are three superb TED talks to get you into the spirit of the Creativity Challenge:
Iain McGilchrist argues that convergent thinking has limited our potential and created dangerous social, educational and political problems.
Charles Limb has done some provocative research that demonstrates surprising aspects of the creative process.
Janet Echelman lost her paints and created a new career. A treasure of creativity.
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