The art of creativity

The arts have a role to play in bringing creativity to the workplace in the world of commerce and industry. The application of artistic practices and techniques drawn from the visual arts and performing arts are particularly suited to releasing the creativity found in organisations, which the rigours of the business processes practised has kept suppressed for far too long. This paper will draw upon a number of case studies of using the arts within organisations to encourage creative problem-solving. The paper will examine the techniques and processes used by organisations to embed the arts right into the centre of business culture, making them an integral part of the business process rather than just an add-on, and the lessons that have been learned. The case studies include: a group of 40 students on the Diploma of Management Studies course at Middlesex University; a group of 60 middle managers at Visteon (sister company of Ford Motor Company) participating on 3 day course on The Learning Organisation; a group of 80 managers on the New Century Managers Programme at Newham Council; and group of 8 participants at the Post Office Innovation Laboratory