Applied Imagination

Storytelling Guru Robert McKee to Present STORY-IN-BUSINESS Seminar in New York City

2014-08-29T11:49:00.000-04:00

One-day event shares actionable story knowledge and ready-to-use tools to enhance your business communication and persuasion skills

Storytelling guru Robert McKee will present his STORY-IN-BUSINESS Seminar in New York City on September 26, 2014. This exclusive, one-day event will show business leaders how to create and use stories that persuade, inspire and engage their customers and employees. Find more information and registration at www.mckeestory.com/business-story -- and receive a free audio book of STORY by Robert McKee when you register now using promo code DG14!

At the STORY-IN-BUSINESS Seminar, participants will learn how to combine emotion and logic to create compelling stories that capture the hearts and minds of their audience – whether they are creating a one-minute commercial, a 60-minute presentation, an investor pitch, a strategic plan, or an in-depth training program.

McKee, who authored the international best-selling book, STORY: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting, teaches the importance of using story to connect with your audience’s emotions and minds alike. Data and facts do not engage a customer’s mind, but well-told and compelling stories do. At the STORY-IN-BUSINESS Seminar, participants will discover how to create stories that work for their organizations.

Harvard Business Review describes McKee as “the world’s best-known and most respected screenwriting lecturer” and for the last 25 years he has been helping writers tell powerful stories through his legendary STORY Seminar and book. More than 100,000 students have completed his course, including numerous Academy Award, Emmy Award, Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winners. Now he’s helping business leaders from companies like Microsoft, HP, Siemens, Mercedes-Benz, and the Boldt Company use story to persuade, engage, and communicate more effectively with their employees and customers.

In the STORY-IN-BUSINESS Seminar, McKee shows what story is and why it’s important in today’s workplace, how to design and execute a purpose-told story that moves people to action, the difference between face-to-face storytelling and storytelling at a distance, and why leaders need to use story to author the future. These concepts can be applied to marketing and branding, sales, start up and investment, management and human resource training, and other aspects of business where communication and persuasion drive success.

Find the complete agenda and register at mckeestory.com/business-story -- plus, receive a free audio book of STORY by Robert McKee when you register now using promo code DG14!

Event partners include:
AIGA Connecticut - connecticut.aiga.org
Metro DC Chapter of ASTD - www.dcastd.org
Organization Development Network of New York - www.odnny.org

TEDx Viewing Party on "Changing the Way We Eat" - New Milford, Conn., March 1

2014-02-20T15:25:00.001-05:00

MAKERY™ TO BRING LIVE TEDxMANHATTAN “CHANGING THE WAY WE EAT” TO BANK STREET, NEW MILFORD ON SATURDAY, MARCH 1
Join Makery’s Free Viewing Party of this TEDx Event Led by Food & Farming Experts from 9:30am - 6:00pm.

NEW MILFORD, CT (February 13, 2014) – On Saturday, March 1st from 9:30am - 6:00pm, the much-anticipated TEDxManhattan “Changing the Way We Eat” will once again take place in New York City. Join New Milford, Conn.'s newest community organization, MAKERY, for a live viewing party, free of charge, featuring a brilliant lineup of experts who will explore the state of the food system and progress toward sustainability in eating and farming.

RSVP now at <http://www.makeryct.com>.

The independently organized event will gather speakers and audience members from diverse backgrounds to create new synergies, connections, and collaborations across disciplines. The goal of the event is to help break the food movement out of its bubble and introduce the TED/TEDx audience and viewers across the country to the innovative work being done to elevate the food system to one that is more equitable, healthier, and sustainable for all.
Some of the most important experts in the food movement will speak, including:

Regina Bernard-Carreno (Baruch College, CUNY) – Hunting for Food: Race, Class and Access in New York City
David Binkle, Los Angeles Unified School District – Los Angeles Unified School District: Changing What Students Eat At School
Alison Cayne, Haven's Kitchen – The Food Movement in Historical Context
Virginia Clarke, Sustainable Agriculture Food System Funders – Changing the Way We Give
Tom Colicchio, Craft Restaurant – Vote Food
Myra Goodman, Earthbound Farm – In Praise of Big Organic
Andrew Gunther, Animal Welfare Approved – How Big Business Had the Right Idea but Went Wrong
Saru Jayaraman, Restaurant Opportunities Centers United – Restaurant Workers
Megan Miller, Bitty – Crickets as a Protein Source
Peggy Neu, The Monday Campaigns – Meatless Monday: A Simple Idea Goes Global
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, U.S. House of Representatives (Maine) - Congress and a Sustainable Food System
Lance Prince, George Washington University – The Negative Effects on Human Health of Antibiotic Use in Animal Production
Michael Rozyne, Red Tomato – Local Food Distribution: All That’s Invisible to the Eaters
Nikki Silvestri, Green for All – The Complexity and Rich Experience of Building True Allies
Clint Smith, Parkdale High School – Resilience: Reframing the Narrative Around Our Students
Matthew Moore, The Digital Farm Collective – Social Change Artists and the Food Movement
Sunny Young, Good Food for Oxford Schools (TEDxManhattan Challenge winner) - School Food in Mississippi

The location of the live viewing party will alternate between two locations: the office of Miles Finch Innovation at 14 Bank Street and The Bank Street Theater at 46 Bank Street in New Milford, Conn. Makery invites and encourages local retail businesses and community groups to participate and engage by offering special promotions or discounts to attendees. The event is an open-house format, meaning attendees can stop by anytime and stay as long as they desire.While tickets are free, participants are encouraged to register online at http://www.makeryct.com>.

The schedule for the day is planned as follows:

Time / Topic / Location
9:30 – 10:00 / Coffee & Networking / Miles Finch Innovation

10:00 – 12:30 / Introduction & Session 1: EXPAND / Miles Finch Innovation

12:30 – 1:40 / Lunch / Various downtown restaurants

1:40 – 3:40 / Session 2: COLLABORATE / Bank Street Theater

3:40 – 4:20 / Break

4:20 – 6:00 / Session 3: GROW / Miles Finch Innovation

About Makery
The mission of Makery is to instigate creativity and collaboration in order to catalyze innovation and small business growth in Western Connecticut.Located in New Milford, CT, the group looks to bring together makers, creators and entrepreneurs with the goal of sharing their inspiring work across the local community and beyond.In addition, Makery will organize community events, such as the TEDxManhattan viewing party, to build community and inspire conversation around topics that align with our local community.Makery is seeking volunteer support to continue building its founding Board of Directors and to elicit help in content creation and event planning.If you’d like to learn more, please contact Tony Vengrove, 203-788-2665, Ben Grinnell, 860-318-6044, or Steven Dahlberg, 612-432-5442.

About TEDxManhattan
TEDxManhattan “Changing the Way We Eat” is licensed and organized by Diane Hatz, founder and Executive Director of Change Food. The first event took place in February 2011; the fourth event will happen on March 1, 2014.In 2013, approximately 15,000 computers tuned into the event along with 59 viewing parties that totaled 3,600 people. The Twitter reach was 31 million people.

Go to <https://new.livestream.com/tedx/manhattan2014> to access the webcast and watch the event live and <http://tedxmanhattan.org/viewing-parties/> to locate or set up a viewing party in your area. Videos of the talks will be posted after the conference.
The lead sponsor for TEDxManhattan is the nonprofit program Change Food.

About TEDx
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TED has created a program called TEDx. TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. Our event is called TEDxManhattan "Changing the Way We Eat", where x = independently organized TED event. At our TEDxManhattan event, TEDTalks video and live speakers will combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events, including ours, are self-organized. (www.tedxmanhattan.org)

About TED
TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California almost 30 years ago, TED has grown to support those world-changing ideas with multiple initiatives. The two annual TED Conferences invite the world's leading thinkers and doers to speak for 18 minutes on a diverse mix of topics. Many of these talks are then made available, free, at TED.com. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Nandan Nilekani, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Isabel Allende and former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The TED2014 Conference will take place in Vancouver, British Columbia, along with the TEDActive simulcast in neighboring Whistler. TEDGlobal 2014 will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

TED's media initiatives include TED.com, where new TED Talks are posted daily; the Open Translation Project, which provides subtitles and interactive transcripts as well as translations from volunteers worldwide; the educational initiative TED-Ed; and TEDBooks, short e-books on powerful ideas. TED has established the annual TED Prize, where exceptional individuals with a wish to change the world get help translating their wishes into action; TEDx, which supports individuals or groups in hosting local, self-organized TED-style events around the world; and the TED Fellows program, helping world-changing innovators from around the globe to amplify the impact of their remarkable projects and activities.

Follow TED on Twitter at <http://twitter.com/TEDNews> or on Facebook at <http://www.facebook.com/TED>.

For information about TED's upcoming conferences, visit <http://www.ted.com/registration>.

An Initial Look at America’s Creative Economy ... from the National Creativity Network

2013-11-07T13:42:00.001-05:00

Press Release: September 18, 2013

Contacts: George Tzougros, Board Chair, National Creativity Network, 608-267-2006, George.tzougros@wisconsin.gov; Christine Harris, Principal Researcher and Lead Author, 414-379-1011, Christine@charrisconnect.com

The National Creativity Network announces the release of AMERICA’S CREATIVE ECONOMY: A STUDY OF RECENT CONCEPTIONS, DEFINITIONS, AND APPROACHES TO MEASUREMENT ACROSS THE USA. The 141-page free report is the most comprehensive study to date on creative economies across America – especially focused on how regions and organizations conceptualize and track that segment of their local economy that fosters and taps imagination, creativity, and innovation to create and deliver goods, products, and services.

A total of 27 reports published between 2002 – 2012 were analyzed by the research team as a project of the Creative Economy Coalition (CEC), a working group of the National Creativity Network, and informed by the CEC National Research Advisory Council. Reports and interviews from medium and large cities and their surrounding environs, entire states, and regional studies covering many states were gathered and analyzed. Over half of the states in America are represented in the report, a testament to the widespread interest of communities to better understand, measure, and grow their creative economies. These developments are consistent with worldwide interest in creative economies ranging from longstanding creative economy efforts in the United Kingdom, many Commonwealth countries, other nations and regions in Europe, and the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), and recent and growing interest in South America, Africa, and Asia.

Among many findings, the report found that while there is considerable variation in how regions of the US measure their creative economies there is also considerable overlap. Many regions are finding that their creative economies equal or exceed the size of other important sectors of their economies. Regions also report that policy makers are increasingly interested in learning about the creative economy. There is wide recognition that further refinements of tools and approaches are needed if creative economies are going to advance in public consciousness and economic development plans and policies. The report was co-authored by Christine Harris of Christine Harris Connections, Margaret Collins, Executive Director of the Center for Creative Economy, and Dennis Cheek, Executive Director of the National Creativity Network. Christine and Margaret, reflecting on the research and many conversations that informed this effort, noted that the report “makes clear that efforts to understand and measure local creative economies to stimulate growth and competitive differentiation are alive and well across states, regions, and cities of the United States.”

The Creative Economy Coalition (CEC), a formal working group of the National Creativity Network, comprises organizations that are actively seeking to advance, measure, compare, track progress, and accelerate the growth of creative economies across America. This report is a direct outgrowth of the expressed needs of CEC members to learn from one another and improve existing efforts. Interested organizations are urged to join the CEC conversation and connect with like-minded organizations focused on the creative economy.

The National Creativity Network (NCN) is a US-based international nonprofit established in 2010 that seeks to advance the skillful application of imagination, creativity, and innovation (I-C-I) to positively improve education, commerce, culture, and government across North America. The NCN connects like-minded regions that want to share information, ideas and strategies with one another as well as learn from existing efforts in North America and around the globe. The NCN sponsors webinars and other regular communications concerning imagination, creativity and innovation as well as co-sponsoring the 2013 USA Creative Business Cup. The NCN will hold its next annual meeting on November 18-19, 2013 in collaboration with Creative Oklahoma’s State of Creativity Forum in Oklahoma City. Speakers and attendees from throughout North America as well as several other countries are expected to participate, with highlights including an NCN-sponsored panel discussion focused on perspectives on the creative economy across North America. To register for the combined event, visit the Creative Oklahoma website (www.stateofcreativity.com).

America’s Creative Economy was funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts with additional support from Americans for the Arts, Maine Center for Creativity, Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, North Carolina Arts Council, South Arts, Westaf, and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. The Creative Alliance of Milwaukee served as the fiscal agent for the effort. The full report as well as an executive summary can be downloaded for free from www.nationalcreativitynetwork.org and may be freely distributed in its entirety to interested parties.

[Full Disclosure: I (Steve Dahlberg) am a board member of the National Creativity Network]

"Creating a Poetic Life on Purpose" Workshop Coming Up at the University of Connecticut-Waterbury

2013-09-20T09:33:00.000-04:00

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Connecticut Waterbury Campus is presenting the "Creating a Poetic Life on Purpose" Workshop on Tuesday, October 1, 2013, from 12:30 to 2 p.m. It will take place in the UConn Waterbury Multipurpose Room. The workshop facilitators are Anne F. O'Reilly, poet, mystic and teacher from Dublin, Ireland, and Steven Dahlberg, director of the Connecticut-based International Centre for Creativity and Imagination.

To reserve your free seat, please call 203-36-9924 or 203-236-9925 TODAY or email osher@uconn.edu.

ABOUT THE WORKSHOP:

Imagine, connect and act on purpose to create the life you want to lead. This is an experiential session using poetry and imagination practices to help you discover new connections between your creativity and your purpose. Learn to think in new ways about your possibilities and challenges, as well as strategies for creative thinking. Explore how to unleash and harness your creativity living your purpose as a creative act.

ABOUT THE FACILITATORS:

Anne F. O'Reilly, Ph.D., has more than 30 years experience of teaching and facilitating workshops in spirituality, creative writing and sacred poetry. She was a senior lecturer in religious studies in St. Patrick's College Drumcondra in Dublin, Ireland, until 2008, when she took early retirement and began working as a performance poet, celebrating the healing and transforming power of poetry. She brings to this work many years training with voice, poetry by heart, sacred clowning, drama and meditation. She is the author of Sacred Play: Soul Journeys in Contemporary Irish Theatre, and Singing from the Belly of the Whale, a book of poetry with original paintings by Caroline Hunter. The CD, Breathsong, with her own poems and music by Wayne Sheehy, was released in 2011.
Steven Dahlberg is the director of the International Centre for Creativity and Imagination, which is dedicated to applying creativity to improve the well-being of individuals, organizations and communities. He serves on the board of the National Creativity Network, co-hosts the Creativity in Play online radio show, and authored the foreword to Education is Everybody's Business. He has taught courses and seminars at the University of Connecticut, Yale University, Rhode Island College, and Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, among other places.

Hopkins Vineyard to Host ‘The Nature of Wine’ Mini-Workshop and Tasting as Part of Creativity Workshop in Connecticut

2013-09-19T14:07:00.000-04:00

Hopkins Vineyard is hosting a special event on “The Nature of Wine,” exploring the intersection of creativity, wine and the brain. The event is Saturday, Sept. 28, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at 25 Hopkins Rd. in New Preston, Conn., and presented by the New Milford, Conn.-based International Centre for Creativity and Imagination.

Participants will explore how master sommeliers learn to understand wine, what's happening in the brain when they taste wine -- and how they transfer this knowledge and experience to others. Participants will practice looking at, smelling and tasting wines as the experts do, sampling four of Hopkins wines in the process -- all while continuing to explore the nature of creativity through this local example of creative placemaking.

This experience is based on an experiment conducted between a master sommelier -- with 25 years of experience teaching thousands of people how to taste wine -- and a behavioral scientist. They sought to better understand how experts recognize aromas and flavors, as well as how to create a model to transfer this knowledge to others. The mini-workshop will engage participants in activities from the experiment, while helping them understand how the eyes and the nose affect what’s happening in the brain. This whole experience will also raise questions about how the brain affects ALL aspects of learning, not just learning to taste wine.

The event will feature Hopkins’ Vineyard Manager and Winemaker Jim Baker and the International Center for Creativity and Imagination Director Steven Dahlberg, along with Hopkins’ Winery Manager Rachel Greklek and Irish Poet Anne F. O’Reilly.

This event will conclude a daylong workshop on “The Nature of Creativity,” which is being held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sept. 28 at the Center for Innovation at South Kent School in South Kent, Conn. This workshop explores how nature inspires us to be more creative, and is open to everyone – from teachers, business people and artists to community leaders, environmentalists and individuals looking to create positive change.

The wine event is $40/person and includes the mini-workshop on creativity, wine and the brain; a Hopkins wine tasting with cheese; and a keepsake wine glass from Hopkins. Participants can register for the daylong workshop and wine event together for a discount, or either event separately. Full details are available at http://natureofcreativity.org.

For more information, contact: Steve Dahlberg at news@appliedimagination.org or http://www.appliedimagination.org.

The International Centre for Creativity and Imagination is dedicated to applying creativity to improve the well-being of individuals, organizations and communities. Through its programs, the centre collaborates regularly with artists, scientists, business people, educators, museum professionals, community leaders and others to help people deliberately unleash and harness their creative thinking skills. Find more at:
http://www.appliedimagination.org

Hopkins Vineyard is a heritage farm set in the hills of Litchfield County overlooking Lake Waramaug. In 1979, Bill and Judith Hopkins transformed their dairy farm into a vineyard, one of the first in what has become a thriving Connecticut industry. Since then, it has consistently produced award-winning whites, reds and sparkling wines. Hopkins Vineyard grows 11 varieties of grapes. Find more at:
http://www.hopkinsvineyard.com

Irish Poet and Teacher Anne F. O'Reilly Returns to Ridgefield, Connecticut, with Workshops and Poetry Performance

2013-09-16T12:47:00.000-04:00

The Ridgefield Library, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum and The Center for Creativity and Imagination Present:

Exploring Pathways to the Imagination with Irish Poet and Teacher Dr. Anne F. O'Reilly ... October 2 and 3, 2013 - Ridgefield, Connecticut

Anne O'Reilly will return to Ridgefield, Conn., after her wonderful workshop and reading as part of last year's Creativity Conference. She will present three programs in early October: First a workshop at the Library, second a workshop for educators at The Aldrich, and third a poetry reading and performance at The Aldrich.

Catch the Heart Off-Guard: A Poetry From the Heart WorkshopWednesday, October 2, 2:00-5:00 pm
Ridgefield Library @ 21 Governor Street, Ridgefield, Connecticut
Register online or call 203-438-2282
Unlocking Creative Expression with Art and Poetry: A Workshop for EducatorsThursday, October 3, 4:30-6:30 pm
The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum @ 258 Main Street, Ridgefield, Connecticut
Register online or call 203-438-4519
Exploring the Languages of the Heart: A Poetry Performance
Thursday, October 3, 7:00-8:00 pm (with light refreshments served from 6:30 to 7:00 pm)
The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum @ 258 Main Street, Ridgefield, Connecticut
Register online or call 203-438-2282

Programs are free. Please register early as space is limited.

Poet Anne F. O’Reilly will be “Creator in Residence” at the International Centre for Creativity and Imagination from September 25 to October 7, and will be leading a series of workshops and poetry performances while she is in Connecticut. She is based in Dublin, Ireland, and is the author of a print collection of poetry, Singing From the Belly of the Whale, a CD collection, Breathsong, and the book, Sacred Play: Soul-Journeys In Contemporary Irish Theatre. Anne will be a featured facilitator at "The Nature of Creativity" workshop on September 28 at South Kent School in Connecticut, as well.

Irish Poet Anne F. O’Reilly to be Featured in “The Nature of Creativity” Workshop at South Kent School in Connecticut

2013-09-13T15:28:00.003-04:00

The Center for Innovation at South Kent School is hosting “The Nature of Creativity” workshop, presented by the New Milford, Conn.-based International Centre for Creativity and Imagination. The workshop is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28, and will take place at the Center for Innovation’s classroom at 170 South Kent Road in South Kent, Conn.

The workshop will feature Irish poet and teacher Anne F. O’Reilly and director of the International Centre for Creativity and Imagination Steven Dahlberg, along with several collaborators who will guide an exploration of how nature inspires us to be more creative. The workshop is open to everyone – from teachers, business people and artists to community leaders, environmentalists and individuals looking to create positive change. It starts with the premise that everyone is a creative being.

The event will take place at the new classroom at South Kent School’s Center for Innovation, where participants of the workshop will take part in experiential exercises to help them tap into and develop their creativity. They also will explore connections to how nature inspires the creative process and connect with others who are seeking purposeful engagement in their communities.

Using nature as a guide, participants will explore these themes – (re)discovering your capacity to be creative, cultivating a sense of place, fostering curiosity and wonder, discovering rhythm, valuing diversity, nurturing interconnectedness, awakening the senses, and more. Plus, they will learn how to overcome blocks to creativity, practices for accessing their creative inner nature, and ways for connecting beyond themselves to take action in their communities.

The day will conclude with a special event on “The Nature of Wine,” exploring the intersection of creativity, wine and the brain, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Sept. 28 at Hopkins Vineyard at 25 Hopkins Rd. in New Preston, Conn. The winemaker and winery manager will join Dahlberg and O’Reilly to continue exploring lessons and metaphors from nature that inspire creativity and learning. This event looks at how master sommeliers learn to understand wine, what’s happening in the brain when they taste wine, and how they transfer this knowledge and experience to others. Participants will look at, smell and taste wine as the experts do, sampling four Hopkins wines in the process. Registration information is at .

Poet Anne F. O’Reilly will be “Creator in Residence” at the International Centre for Creativity and Imagination from September 25 to October 7, and will be leading a series of workshops and poetry performances while she is in Connecticut. She is based in Dublin, Ireland, and is the author of a print collection of poetry, Singing From the Belly of the Whale, a CD collection, Breathsong, and the book, Sacred Play: Soul-Journeys In Contemporary Irish Theatre.

The Center for Innovation is located on the property adjoining South Kent School’s main campus in South Kent, Conn. Through its hands-on learning experiences and community outreach, the Center for Innovation encourages inquiry into the dynamic interplay between human creativity, intuition and sustainability.

To register and for more information, visit http://natureofcreativity.org/.

Finding Creative Inspiration From Nature

2013-09-05T09:22:00.000-04:00

"Nature has a large potential for enhancing creativity. The reason seems to be that the feelings, which are enhancing creativity, are the same feelings which are evoked when one is in nature. Nature has the ability to set one in a state of mind which enhances creativity, because nature makes us feel open and unlimited, playful and excited, refocused and invigorated, calm and energized. At the same time nature can be a great source of direct inspiration, which also explains its ability to enhance creativity." - "Nature & Creativity: How and Why Nature Enhances Human Creativity," Master Thesis by Trine Plambach

On September 28, you can take part in a series of experiences designed to develop your personal creativity, taking inspiration from nature, as well as explore how you can connect your creative purpose with other people to cultivate new possibilities for yourself, your community and the earth. Facilitators include Irish poet Anne F. O'Reilly, creativity educator Steve Dahlberg and other collaborators. Find out more and register now for THE NATURE OF CREATIVITY: A ONE-DAY WORKSHOP ON HOW NATURE INSPIRES US TO BE MORE CREATIVE, at the Center for Innovation at South Kent School in Kent, Connecticut. The Center is the school's new farm-based "classroom" that encourages inquiry into the dynamic interplay between human creativity, intuition and sustainability. The day ends with a related event on "THE NATURE OF WINE," a special evening exploring the intersection of creativity, wine and the brain at Hopkins Vineyard.

2-Day Creativity Conference in April in Connecticut

2012-03-27T13:26:00.001-04:00

An exciting, two-day conference -- "Advancing Creative Thinking: Imagination to Innovation" -- will take place in Ridgefield, Conn., on Friday, April 27, and Saturday, April 28, 2012. The conference is presented by The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield Library, and Ridgefield Arts Council, along with media sponsor, The Morris Media Group.

This cross-disciplinary conference will explore creativity and the creative process through the lenses of imagination and innovation -- which are at the heart of the creative process in every discipline, from the arts to education to business to government. While imagination opens up new possibilities, innovation seeks and identifies new opportunities for critical thinking and creative problem solving. A diverse range of keynote sessions, cross-disciplinary conversations, panel dialogues, and workshops will focus on the creative process and demonstrate that creative thinking is truly a necessary skill for the twenty-first century.

Friday’s opening keynote will feature New York Times tech columnist David Pogue on "Disruptive Creativity: How Bright Ideas Change Everything." The conference will close on Saturday evening with Nicholas Donofrio, fellow emeritus at IBM, on "Innovation for the 21st Century. "

During the day on Saturday, participants will have many programs to choose from ...

Creative Conversations include:

"Stories of Innovation Success" with Matt Greeley, CEO of BrightIdea, and others.
"Creative Models for Towns and Cities" with Linda Lees, founder and director of Creative Cities, and others.
"Artistry Unleashed" with Hilary Austin from the Rotman School of Business at the University of Toronto.

Participatory Workshops will encourage attendees to put the creative process into practice:

"Altered Books" with artist and illustrator Katie Stephenson.
"Drawing: Gray Matters!" with Claire Watson Garcia from the Silvermine School of Art.
"Sparking Idea Engines: How to Inspire Creative Breakthroughs" with Brian Mattimore, founder and principal of The Growth Engine.
And more!

The speakers are drawn from the arts, education, business, technology and government sectors, including affiliations with the New York Times, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Jump Associates, BrightIdea, IBM, dosomething.org, International Centre for Creativity and Imagination, Alliance for Childhood, Creative Cities International, University of Toronto, University of Connecticut, and others. Presenters are coming from locations including Ireland, Toronto, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Boston, New York City, and San Francisco.

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION:

$125 - full-conference ticket for Friday afternoon to Saturday evening.
$95 - All-day Saturday programs only, including the evening reception and keynote.
$35 - Friday-evening keynote and reception only.
$35 - Saturday-evening reception and keynote only.
$25 - A special, pre-conference program for educators (including the following reception at The Aldrich) -- featuring Irvin Scott from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Programs will take place at The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum and at the Ridgefield Library. Check out the full listing of events and purchase tickets; or call 203-438-2282 for more information.

Creativity at Heart of Society ... An Irish Presidency Vision

2011-10-05T09:38:00.001-04:00

Why I Should Be President ... The Irish Times recently asked the seven candidates hoping to succeed Irish President Mary McAleese to outline why they believe they would make a good president.

In a statement of a mere 700 words, Labour Party candidate Michael D. Higgins put creativity at the heart of his vision for society, citizenship and development. Higgins also is the former Irish Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht.

The vision I am offering is of inclusive citizenship in a creative society, as we build a real Republic that makes us proud to be Irish in the world.
Everyone has a contribution to make – whatever their religion, capacity, origin, orientation or income – and inclusion also means shared responsibility, to each other and to generations yet to come. As president, I would also promote a creative society, combining the best of tradition with the spark of innovation and opening up possibilities in every area of life from education to science to business.
I would encourage creativity in practical ways, something I did as Ireland’s first minister for the arts in the 1990s, establishing TG4 and a network of local arts venues, and helping transform Irish film from an €11 million into a €186 million industry.
I see the same potential today in creative industries from games development to artisan foods. However, creativity is, most importantly, a vital part of citizenship and needs to be supported from the ground up, in our communities and schools. As president, I would encourage access to art, music and self-development for every child.

Rare is a politician who truly understands -- beyond lip service -- that the creative imagination, ideas and engagement of every citizen is the raw material that builds community, develops the economy and shapes the political process. Higgins, whose self-description includes "poet," deeply understands that developing and expressing one's creative self in society is how one meaningfully engages in learning, work and community. He is a prime example of this personally.

Would that the 2012 United States presidential campaign season would include such a dialogue ...

What role does/should creativity play in engaging U.S. citizens in society? How does Michael D. Higgins' vision inspire you? Is there any connection between such a vision for a creative society and what is happening with #OccupyWallStreet?

Sir Ken Robinson Live Friday at 12EDT

2011-09-09T07:34:00.000-04:00

As we celebrate our one-year anniversary this month on “Creativity in Play,” we are pleased to welcome back our very first guest – Sir Ken Robinson. Sir Ken is one of the leading thinkers on the role of creativity in education, work and society. His TED Talks have been viewed by millions and millions of people who care about making education a more-meaningful experience, as well as how creativity can engage people in purposeful learning, work and life. He is the author of The Element and Out of Our Minds. How has Sir Ken inspired your thinking about creativity and education?

Plus, we add theme music to the show today -- "Kindergarten," composed and performed by one of our previous guests, Jonathan Batiste.

The Creative Brain: Tonight on Charlie Rose

2011-09-05T09:52:00.000-04:00

Tonight a rebroadcast of the Charlie Rose Brain Series Episode Twelve: the Creative Brain (10/28/10), a discussion about creativity with artists Richard Serra and Chuck Close, neurologist Oliver Sacks, Ann Temkin, chief curator of painting and sculpture at The Museum of Modern Art and Eric Kandel of Columbia University . [September 5 , 2011 - Charlie Rose - More]

Irish Poet in Creativity Workshops in Arts and Ideas Fest

2011-06-13T10:50:00.001-04:00

The International Centre for Creativity and Imagination will be hosting Anne F. O'Reilly, a poet from Dublin, Ireland. O'Reilly's readings and performances will be featured in three experiential creativity workshops during the International Festival of Arts & Ideas in New Haven, Connecticut.

The public is invited to register now for the "Unleash Your Creativity" workshop series, which includes the themes of "Embodying Creativity: Engaging Creative Collaboration Through Movement and Play" on June 18, "Creativity in the Workplace: Engaging Creativity, Design and Innovation in Organizations" on June 21, and "Composing a Creative Life on Purpose: Engaging Meaning in Life and Work" on June 25. Details and registration information can be found online at <http://www.appliedimagination.org/artidea>.

The workshops will help participants explore their creativity, learn tools for new ways of thinking and problem solving, find alternatives, get unstuck, discover others who value creativity, and engage creativity in the workplace. O'Reilly will use her own poetry, as well as others', as a tool to help participants explore and understand the creative process and their own creativity.

In her book, Sacred Play: Soul-Journeys in Contemporary Irish Theatre, O'Reilly writes: "The truly liberating space is that of play, which can turn the world upside down, and enable a new imagining."

In the "Embodying Creativity" workshop on June 18, O'Reilly will share how play creates the space for creativity and transformation in individuals, in organizations and in communities. Participants will experience several play- and movement-based explorations of personal and group creativity with facilitators leading the Pilobolus method, InterPlay, the Alexander Technique and Developmental Transformations.

O'Reilly also is the author a book of poetry, Singing from the Belly of the Whale and a CD of her poems, "Breathsong." For more than 30 years, she has been teaching and facilitating workshops in spirituality, creative writing and sacred poetry. She was a senior lecturer in religious studies in St Patrick's College Drumcondra until 2008, when she took early retirement and began working as a performance poet, celebrating the healing and transforming power of poetry. She brings to this work many years' training with voice, poetry by heart, sacred clowning, drama and meditation. O'Reilly's participation in the Festival is supported by Imagine Ireland, an initiative of Culture Ireland celebrating a year of Irish arts in America 2011.

Additional facilitators in the "Unleash Your Creativity" workshop series include Renee Jaworski, Pilobolus dancer and associate artistic director; Lisa Laing, Certified InterPlay Leader; L'Ana Burton, director of CDC Creative Dance Continuum and teaching artist for the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism; Rachel Bernsen, Certified Teacher of The Alexander Technique; Carol Pollard, associate director of the Yale Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics; Dorie Shallcross, author of Intuition: An Inner Way of Knowing; Lisa Furman, artist and associate professor, Albertus Magnus College; Evie Lindemann, assistant professor/clinical coordinator master of arts in art therapy program, Albertus Magnus College; and Alice Forrester, executive director, Clifford Beers Child Guidance Clinic.

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The "Unleash Your Creativity" series is curated by Steven Dahlberg, who heads the Connecticut-based International Centre for Creativity and Imagination and teaches "Creativity + Social Change" at the University of Connecticut. The centre is dedicated to applying creativity to improve the well-being of individuals, organizations and communities.

The series is presented by the International Centre for Creativity and Imagination, Albertus Magnus College, the Yale Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics, AIGA Connecticut, and Connecticut Creates, in partnership with International Festival of Arts & Ideas. Additional support comes from Imagine Ireland.

The mission of the International Festival of Arts & Ideas is to create an internationally renowned festival in New Haven, Conn., of the highest quality with world-class artists, thinkers and leaders, attracting and engaging a broad and diverse audience celebrating and building community and advancing economic development.

Is Creativity a Bad Trait for a Senior Leader?

2011-06-10T08:19:00.001-04:00

Thinking outside the box could keep you out of top management, this paper warns. Because of conflicting stereotypes about creativity and leadership, supporters of the status quo -- not the creative types -- are seen as more effective. [10 June 2011 - strategy+business - More]

Creativity, Play, Engagement, Learning and Games ... with Aaron Dignan

2011-05-24T13:18:00.000-04:00

Just had a really great interview with Undercurrent's Aaron Dignan, author of Game Frame. Lots of important implications for how we create/design engaging learning and work. We explored why we are so attracted to things like games, what a "game-like mindset" is, the difference between liking something and wanting something, the connection between boredom and flow, the importance of storytelling and narratives, how play is different (similar to!) addiction, and why engagement and gaming approaches are so important (and mostly lacking) in education. Check out the interview and let us know how you are applying game and mindsets to your learning efforts and work design.

Dahlberg to Moderate Teachers College Imagination Conversation

2011-05-23T11:51:00.002-04:00

Teachers College Presents an Imagination Conversation, a Project of the Lincoln Center Institute, during its "Creativity, Play and the Imagination Across Disciplines" Conference

Join invited guests - including the creator of Imagination Conversations, Scott Noppe-Brandon - and explore with us the importance of imagination and creativity in education, gaming, design and the arts. Bring YOUR "imagination story," too! Now more than ever, we must nurture imagination in our schools, create environments for innovation in workplaces, and build cultures for creativity in our communities. Lincoln Center Institute is fueling the development of imaginative thinking through the Imagination Conversations, a series of moderated public panels being held in all 50 states. These bring together leaders from an array of fields to explore the importance of imagination in their professional lives and society. The Conversations are leading to a national gathering, America's Imagination Summit, at Lincoln Center in July. Learn more about Imagination Conversations at www.imaginationconversation.com.

1:30-3 p.m., Friday, May 27, 2011 – Teachers College, Columbia University

Guests Include:

Scott Noppe-Brandon, Executive Director, Lincoln Center Institute; Co-Author, "Imagination First"
Jonathan Batiste, Jazz Musician; Music Curator, National Jazz Museum in Harlem; Actor, HBO's "Treme"
Donald Brinkman, Program Manager, Games for Learning, Digital Humanities, Digital Heritage; Microsoft Research
Suzanne Enser-Ryan, Interim Education Director/Head of School, Teacher and Docent Programs, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum
Magdalena Gomez, Co-founder and Artistic Director, Teatro V!da
Michael Lofton, Education Director, Pilobolus
MODERATOR: Steven Dahlberg, Director, International Centre for Creativity and Imagination; Vice President of Innovation, Future Workplace; Faculty, University of Connecticut

Experiential Creativity Workshop Series at Arts & Ideas Festival - June in New Haven, Conn.

2011-05-11T16:45:00.003-04:00

The International Festival of Arts and Ideas will feature “Unleash Your Creativity,” a series of three, experiential creativity workshops. The Festival runs from June 11 to 25, 2011, in New Haven, Conn. The workshops are June 18, 21 and 25.
The workshops will help participants explore their creativity, learn tools for new ways of thinking, find alternatives, get unstuck, discover others who value creativity, and engage creativity in the workplace. This series links the creativity of others with an in-depth opportunity to (re)discover and engage one’s own creativity and its applications to organizations and society. Full details about each workshop and its facilitators, along with registration information, can be found online (register here) or by email. The three workshops include:

At Albertus Magnus College: “Embodying Creativity: Engaging Creative Collaboration Through Movement and Play,” 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sat., June 18. This workshop features facilitators from Pilobolus Dance Theatre, InterPlay Connecticut, Clifford Beers Child Guidance Clinic, and the Alexander Technique, as well as Irish poet Anne O’Reilly who will explore how play creates the space for creativity and transformation. No previous dance experience is necessary to participate in this day, but be prepared to move. This workshop is $99 and includes the all-day workshop, lunch and a ticket to Susan Marshall Dance Company’s “Adamantine” at 5 p.m. on June 18. MORE
At Yale University School of Art: “Creativity in the Workplace: Engaging Creativity, Design and Innovation in Organizations,” 12 to 4 p.m. on Tues., June 21. This workshop features AIGA Connecticut President Rich Hollant, International Centre for Creativity and Imagination Director Steven Dahlberg, and Irish poet Anne O’Reilly. This workshop is $99 and includes the half-day workshop, a reception, Paul Bloom’s “Ideas: How Pleasure Works” lecture at 5:30 p.m., and a ticket to Jack Hitt’s “Making Up the Truth” at 8 p.m. on June 21. MORE
At Albertus Magnus College: “Composing a Creative Life on Purpose: Engaging Meaning in Life and Work,” 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sat., June 25. This workshop features facilitators who will lead hands-on experiences – in arts therapy, education, creativity, art, spirituality and intuition – that will help participants engage their creativity on purpose and for purpose. This workshop is $99 and includes the all-day workshop, lunch and a ticket to David T. Little’s “Soldier Songs” at 5 p.m. on June 25. MORE

O’Reilly is a special guest from Dublin, Ireland, whose readings and performances will be uniquely featured in all three workshops. Her participation is supported by Imagine Ireland. O’Reilly is the author of the book, Sacred Play: Soul Journeys in Contemporary Irish Theatre; a book of poetry, Singing from the Belly of the Whale; and a CD of her poems, Breathsong.

Additional facilitators include Renee Jaworski, Pilobolus dancer and associate artistic director; Lisa Laing, Certified InterPlay Leader; L'Ana Burton, director of CDC Creative Dance Continuum and teaching artist for the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism; Rachel Bernsen, Certified Teacher of The Alexander Technique; Carol Pollard, associate director of the Yale Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics; Dorie Shallcross, author of Intuition: An Inner Way of Knowing; Lisa Furman, artist and associate professor, Albertus Magnus College; Evie Lindemann, assistant professor/clinical coordinator master of arts in art therapy program, Albertus Magnus College; and Alice Forrester, executive director, Clifford Beers Child Guidance Clinic.

The “Unleashing Your Creativity” Series is curated by Steven Dahlberg, who heads the Connecticut-based International Centre for Creativity and Imagination and teaches “Creativity + Social Change” at the University of Connecticut. The centre is dedicated to applying creativity to improve the well-being of individuals, organizations and communities.

The series is presented by the International Centre for Creativity and Imagination, Albertus Magnus College, the Yale Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics, and Connecticut Creates, in partnership with International Festival of Arts & Ideas.

The mission of the International Festival of Arts and Ideas is to create an internationally renowned festival in New Haven, Conn., of the highest quality with world-class artists, thinkers and leaders, attracting and engaging a broad and diverse audience celebrating and building community and advancing economic development.

Reinvesting in Arts Education: Streaming Live May 6

2011-05-05T08:18:00.001-04:00

Arts Education Partnership announces the live stream of the "Reinvesting in Arts Education" session at its annual forum this week.

Through the generosity of the National Endowment for the Arts and The President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, we are excited to announce that we will be able to offer a live webcast of the plenary session at the AEP Spring 2011 National Forum.

Reinvesting in Arts Education
Introduction: Melody Barnes, Domestic Policy Adviser to President Obama and Director, White House Domestic Policy Council
Overview: Mary Schmidt Campbell, Vice Chair of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, Dean of NYU Tisch School of the Arts
Panelists:

Kaya Henderson, Chancellor, DC Public Schools

Forest Whitaker, Actor and Member, The President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities

Ted Leonsis, Founder, AOL, and Entrepreneur

Moderator: Gene Wilhoit, Executive Director, Council of Chief State School Officers

As a part of fulfilling President Obama's Arts Policy Platform, at this session the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH) will announce and publicly release its report Reinvesting in Arts Education: Winning America's Future Through Creative Schools . The culmination of 18 months of research, meetings with stakeholders, and site visits all over the country, this report represents an in-depth review of the current condition of arts education, including an update of the current research base about arts education outcomes, and an analysis of the challenges and opportunities in the field that have emerged over the past decade. It also includes a set of recommendations to federal, state and local policymakers. Drawing from the findings in the report, the panel will discuss from various perspectives how to build new allies for arts education and how to link arts education outcomes to the larger educational and economic debates that are occurring around the country.

For more information about the AEP Spring 2011 National Forum, please visit www.aep-arts.org/forums/DC2011.htm

To watch the webcast live at your computer simply follow the link below:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/reinvesting-in-arts-education

Chinese universities' effort in promoting creativity

2011-04-25T16:00:00.001-04:00

For more on the Tsinghua university's anniversary, we're now joined in the studio by our Current Affairs Commentator, Professor Teng Jimeng from Beijing Foreign Studies University. Q1: A university has three core functions -- generating new knowledge, educating students and contributing to society. And they all involve "creativity". China has put creativity as at the heart of the nation's future. Chinese universities, including Tsinghua, are making great efforts to promote creativity in science and technology. What more can we do in this field? [24 April 2011 - Xinhuanet - More]

Creative Environments: Best Cities for Young Artists

2011-04-25T10:14:00.001-04:00

Where have all the young artists gone? Well, they've been priced out of Melbourne, New York, Barcelona, and all of those other city enclaves that promised low-rent and lots of encouragement. But new art communities are popping up every day on unexpected parts of the globe. Creative hubs, city-funded projects, and lots of public works are just some of the perks these locations offer to young artists who seek refuge. [22 April 2011 - Flavorwire - More]

Dahlberg to Moderate Lincoln Center Imagination Conversation in Massachusetts

2011-04-20T13:46:00.001-04:00

I'm looking forward to moderating another Imagination Conversation this Tuesday in Springfield, Massachusetts, at the Bing Arts Center!

Lincoln Center Imagination Conversation at Bing

The “X” Main Street Corporation will host an Imagination Conversation at the Bing Arts Center, 716 Sumner Avenue, Springfield, Mass., on Tuesday, April 26. This event, Envisioning A Vital Springfield, will connect Springfield with the nationwide effort to engage communities in proactive, creative consideration of our future possibilities. It is intended to begin an ongoing series to encourage the development of imagination and creativity as tools to prepare Springfield for an increasingly competitive future.

The Imagination Conversations, a project of Lincoln Center Institute and a part of the Lincoln Center 50 Years celebration, run from the fall of 2009 to the spring of 2011. The panel discussion is listed on the Lincoln Center Institute’s website:
http://www.imaginationconversation.org

Many of the Conversations are hosted by state governments, businesses, and cultural leaders. They feature diverse groups of panelists with distinctive perspectives and draw a wide range of audience members from the public and private sectors. Moderators facilitate the conversations, some of which reach viewers nationwide via live and archived streaming video. This two-year initiative will culminate in America’s Imagination Summit, to be held at Lincoln Center, New York, in July 2011.

Imagination, the ability to visualize new possibilities, is a prerequisite for success in the 21st-century global economy. America has long been at the vanguard of creation and innovation, but an economic downturn and increased worldwide competition mean that we cannot take our position for granted. Now more than ever, we must teach imagination in our schools and nurture it in our communities.

The Imagination Conversations respond to this need and prepare us for the future by:

Building national awareness of imagination as a vital tool in work and in life.

Sparking dialogue about imagination across the professional spectrum.

Leading to the creation of an action plan to make imagination an integral part of American education.

The Bing Arts Center will record the conversation, which also will be available for live viewing online:
http://www.lvestream.com/bingartscenter

The moderator is Steven Dahlberg of the International Centre for Creativity and Imagination. The panelists are: Ron Ancrum, President of the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts; Josh Bogin, Director of Springfield’s Magnet Schools; Magdalena Gomez, Executive Director of Teatro Vida; Michael Jonnes, Executive Director of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra; John Judge, Director of Development for the City of Springfield; and Robert McCollum, former member of the Springfield School Committee and community activist.

The event is by invitation only due to space and seating constraints.

Join Creative Protest: 1,001 Chairs for Ai Weiwei

2011-04-19T08:27:00.001-04:00

PROTEST: A Chair a Day to Free Ai Weiwei! Build a miniature chair at The Aldrich or create one at home; post it here.

The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum invites you to join an international movement to encourage the release of Ai Weiwei, the Chinese conceptual artist who was taken into police custody in Beijing this month on suspicion of "economic crimes." The miniature chairs and posted photographs will be incorporated into an installation which will be on view in the Museum's Atrium until Ai’s release. The call coincides with sit-ins scheduled for Chinese embassies and consulates around the world this Sunday. Participants in the protest will bring chairs and sit down outside Chinese government buildings -- referencing an installation titled Fairytale: 1001 Qing Dynasty Wooden Chairs, which Ai made in 2007 at Documenta in Kassel, Germany. There, 1,001 late Ming and Qing Dynasty wooden chairs were arranged around the exhibition and 1,001 Chinese citizens were recruited on the Internet to volunteer to live in Kassel during the show.

MORE:
<http://www.aldrichart.org/education/aiweiwei.php>
<http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/04/world/asia/04china.html?_r=1>
<http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/?s=Ai+Wei+Wei>

POST YOUR CHAIR TO ALDRICH FACEBOOK PAGE:
<http://www.facebook.com/#!/Aldrichart>

McKinsey on Sparking Creativity in Teams: An Executive's Guide

2011-04-14T13:01:00.001-04:00

Senior managers can apply practical insights from neuroscience to make themselves -- and their teams -- more creative. ... Although creativity is often considered a trait of the privileged few, any individual or team can become more creative—better able to generate the breakthroughs that stimulate growth and performance. In fact, our experience with hundreds of corporate teams, ranging from experienced C-level executives to entry-level customer service reps, suggests that companies can use relatively simple techniques to boost the creative output of employees at any level. The key is to focus on perception, which leading neuroscientists, such as Emory University’s Gregory Berns, find is intrinsically linked to creativity in the human brain. To perceive things differently, Berns maintains, we must bombard our brains with things it has never encountered. [April 2011 - McKinsey Quarterly - More]

Myth as 'what if?'

2011-04-12T09:25:00.001-04:00

"It is a mistake to regard myth as an inferior mode of thought, which can be cast aside when human beings have attained the age of reason. Mythology is not an early attempt at history, and does not claim that its tales are objective fact. Like a novel, an opera or a ballet, myth is make-believe; it is a game that transfigures our fragmented, tragic world, and helps us to glimpse new possibilities by asking 'what if?' - a question which has also provoked some of our most important discoveries in philosophy, science and technology." - Karen Armstrong (h/t MINemergent)

Write a Haiku on How We Can Improve Education - Edutopia

2011-04-05T20:22:00.001-04:00

April is National Poetry Month and Edutopia magazine is having a contest, asking people to "write a haiku on how we can improve education." A reminder: Haiku poetry type is a Japanese poem composed of three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables. A couple of my submissions:

Creativity.
It's where it's at, yo!
Let's think about it.

move move move move move
multiple intelligence
imagine, what if

Imagination.
It's where it all starts, you know?
Nurture it and thrive.

What's your haiku on how we can improve education?