Creativity: Past Present and Future International Conference: Integrating Enquiry and Action, Buffalo, NY, (May 28th - 30th, 2008) Tudor Rickards The University of Manchester

Creative Treats Ahead

Our Journey Together Recollections Today’s perspectives Future possibilities

The Female Essence of Creativity can be found in the Earliest Creation Myths

Later, Creativity became the Preserve of (Male) Genius …

… Associated with Madness Mystery Muses Magic

Madness

Mystery

Muses

Magic

Creativity, the Individual and Cosmology Early mythologies assumed creativity was a gift to ‘ chosen ones’, individuals who were destined to use the gift to celebrate the ultimate creator of the Universe

Historically, Creativity operated within a Patronage System

Science, Modernism, and Rationality rejected Earlier Beliefs

But ‘Gifted’ Individuals are still Highly Respected today .. … in many walks of life

Although sometimes, Genius is not Recognized … Edison was among many great scientific pioneers rated stupid at school. Would he have been dismissed today as having too low an IQ to amount to anything in life?

In the 20 th Century, attempts were made to ‘tame’ Creativity.. Guilford Wallas Sid and Bea Parnes Koestler Eysenck

Structures to Assist Creativity were Developed Paul Torrance Alex Osborn Tony Buzan Edward De Bono Genrich Altshuller

Studies of Creativity in Teams and Organizations were carried out

Creative Leaders were identified

Creative Industries Emerged Today, creative industries, through their organizations are the fastest-growing economic sectors around the world. They include Architecture; Arts & antiques; Design; Performing arts; Electronic games; and Multi- Media

Creativity is found in many and diverse Walks of Life

‘… But does it Work in Theory?’

So Many Theories … Insight theories Self-actualization Transcendence Cognitive reframing Darwinism Information processing Problem-solving Experiential learning Intrinsic motivation

Today’s Knowledge Guides come from around the World Michael Kirton [Innovation styles] Teresa Amabile [Intrinsic motivation; contextual modelling] Ikujiro Nonaka [Knowledge creation]

Modernity itself has changed …

How Modernity forced yet more Creativity “ Painting is washed up. Who will ever do anything better than that propeller?” Marcel du Champs [at an early exhibition of aviation Technology]

A Triumph of Serendipity “ I was modelling heat storage (wind power) … Intuition: One more stored quantity Insight: But heat leaks! Serendipity: Ignore boundary conditions …mix the deterministic and stochastic in a single equation ” Dr Syd Howell, University of Manchester (2008)

A Triumph of Creative Hope … “ So hope for a great sea-change On the far side of revenge. Believe that further shore Is reachable from here .” Seamas Heaney

Beyond the frontiers …

Creative Imperatives Creativity will be even More vital as we address 21 st century imperatives of human and environmental Well-being

Creativity in the Future Buffalo, May 2008 The EEC Year of Creativity And Innovation 2009 The Global Creativity Network, 20…??