Project time period: July 2021 - July 2024
Reframing Creativity
How do creative people adapt and refocus in challenging times, and what lessons can we learn from them? A multi-year research project funded by SSHRC and Toronto Metropolitan University.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, David and I launched this project at the Creativity Everything lab at TMU, with funding from an Insight Grant by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
Reframing Creativity was our response to a unique opportunity to deepen our understanding of how creative individuals navigate their self-identity when daily routines are disrupted, how artists and creators adapt and refocus during challenging times, and the valuable lessons we can learn from their experiences.
The pandemic was the starting point, but our aims were not historical or documentary; rather, we wanted to identify ideas, strategies and knowledge that will support the acceleration and diversification of creative work in the future.
How are things changing for creators and innovators in a post-pandemic space, and how can we better support them?
Here is a summary of our key findings:
On Identity: No labels for creatives.
The pandemic turned into a time of reflection and self-exploration where creators could rethink or redirect different aspects of their creativity, including the values that guide their work or how they would like to manage their practice moving forward.
On Nautre: More green, fewer screens.
Participants kept talking about finding a valuable connection to nature and the great outdoors. Although nature was not a topic we included in our list of questions, they seemed eager to comment on how nature became a fundamental part of their lives and woven into their work and creative experiences during the pandemic.
On Collaboration: Creative Exchanges & Community.
Creators expanded their scope of collaboration during the pandemic; since potential collaborators were now, like them, stuck at home but connected online, they found an opportunity to work with fellow artists and creators across the globe. Also, there is a clear need for communities where creatives can form friendships, build a sense of belonging and learn from one another beyond a transactional relationship.
On Accessibility: Reclaiming the internet as a space for everyone.
The hybrid model is here to stay. Participants agreed that the hybrid model that entails flexibility in either remote or in-person options for meetings and coworking sessions was the most desired, not only for the pre-production and production process of a creative project, but for the possibility of viewership and accessibility to their projects from the disability community – especially from individuals with visual, motor, and auditory issues.
Creators don’t need to be handed all the answers, they need space and support to find their own.
We can look for tools, solutions and answers that would ‘solve everything’ but, of course, there are no magic tools. There are unique people with feelings, emotions, particular needs — and the communities they form.
—> Download the full report
This project was inspired by the resilience, adaptability and work of creators locally and across the world, who found a way to keep going amid a crisis, and those who are finding new ways to reshape their creative work and imagining what might be possible in the future.
We are very proud of it and hope you enjoy reading about it!
Visit the Reframing Creativity website to learn more about the project, check our peer-reviewed articles and much more. Also, connect with David Gauntlett to keep up to date with his research and work at the Creativity Everything lab.
Text: Val Duarte