I wanted to show this picture, because I think it is completely in line with the way I understand creativity.
First of all, this picture means to me that creativity must be activated. Creativity is in all of us. It is not something exclusive of few. However, in one way or another, we have to activate this creative potential. To me, the picture is very explicit, communicating that we must “plug” our minds in order to be systematically creative.
According to Sir Ken Robinson, creativity is “the process of having original ideas that have value”. In order activate and carry out this process, we first should be willing and conscious, and that is why I understand that creativity is an attitude.
In my opinion, although such an attitude can be naturally developed, its activation should be strongly considered ranging from a personal, professional, organizational and governmental level.
In that way creativity is not only an attitude that should be applied in everyone’s daily life, but more important, it should be understood by governments as a tool with the potential of providing the countries with economic competitiveness advantages
Thus, one of the fundamental places where the creative activation should take place is in the education. According to LTS, a Scottish institute that promotes creativity to be stimulated in the academy, “creativity can be developed in all areas of the school curriculum: including the sciences as well as the expressive arts.”
I have been extensively looking on the web for governments that invest efforts in supporting a creative attitude and the best example I have found is in Taiwan*. The Taiwanese government has been strongly promoting creativity education with the aim of fostering students’ creativity. The ambitious plan aims to make creativity an indispensable characteristic of every citizen, generating creative capital with invaluable results.
*http://140.122.91.34/pdf/The%20Creativity%20Education%20in%20Taiwan%20and%20Its%20Implications%20to%20TE.pdf
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