I recently went to New York City for a four-day creativity workshop. It was a wonderful experience. You might wonder why someone as creative as I am would go to a workshop on creativity. Let me explain:
First, it’s never a bad thing to take courses on any subject we’re interested in. We can always learn more and improve in any subject area. Second, the college I work for awarded me some funds for professional development. I’ve been to many communication conferences. I wanted to try something different. So, I did some research and discovered…
The Creativity Workshop
After doing a little research on creativity workshops, I decided that The Creativity Workshop looked like something I’d enjoy. The founders of the workshop, Shelley Berc and Alejandro Fogel offer workshops in NYC, and in many other cities around the world. Here’s what they’re about:
Since 1993 The Creativity Workshop has brought together people from all professions, ages, and nations. What Creativity Workshop participants all have in common is an interest in the creative process, a spirit of curiosity, and the desire to explore and harness the power of their imaginations.
So how was my experience? I felt at home. The creativity concepts Shelley and Alejandro taught reinforced many of my own ideas and beliefs about creativity. I found myself shaking my head, “yes” to everything we learned.
The workshop took place in Midtown West, NYC. There were about 25 students from all over the world and from a variety of professions. We worked together to increase our awareness and perception of our own creative energy.
Three Creative Concepts the Workshop Reinforced
As a creative individual, the concepts I took away from the workshop were not necessarily new insights. But many things I already believe about creativity were reinforced. Here are three that really stood out:
- Creative ideas are everywhere: Look around you. What do you see in the clouds? In the raindrops? On the ground? Sometimes we simply need to pull creativity out of what already exists. Can you see animals in the clouds? Shapes in the raindrops? An abstract on the ground? Taking things out of what already exists is creativity in action.
- It’s okay to fail: I gave up perfection years ago, and for good reason. If you want to excel at being creative, you have to give yourself permission to fail, and fail again. This way, you keep working, growing, and becoming a better artist.
- Sometimes throwing things away helps: People think I’m crazy when I tell them I’ve deleted hundreds of blog posts, dozens of musical recordings, and even nearly finished books. But sometimes the best thing we can do as creative individuals is to let go of work that doesn’t quite work. By throwing things out, we open more space to create more. And we give ourselves permission to fail.
Creativity Can Be Learned
Despite what you may have been told, creativity can be learned, or rather re-learned. We all had abundant creativity as kids. We can rekindle that creativity. The activities and exercises you participate in at The Creativity Workshop will open up your imagination and build your creative vision.
The exercises are my favorite part of the workshop. I learned new activities that I can share with my colleagues and students for years to come.
And It All Happens in New York City
The location of this workshop was also a plus. New York City is filled with creative energy. The workshop is only a few hours a day which gives you plenty of time to explore. The exploration around the city adds to your creative experience.
Whether you’re a teacher like me, a business professional, or an artist, The Creativity Workshop is a great experience. If you’d like to boost your creative energy, I highly recommend The Creativity Workshop.
de
