The artist within

The Arts lead the way in facilitating our creative individualism in opening up our imagination to future innovations:
‘Our conceptual life, shaped by the imagination and the qualities of the world experienced, gives rise to the intentions that direct our activities. Intentions are rooted in the imagination. Intentions depend upon our ability to recognise what is and yet to imagine what might be.’ (Eisner, p.7)
This paper draws on over 10 years experience as a workshop tutor on the Open University MBA residential schools in Creative Management, running from 2 to 4 days. These residential schools engaged participants in a psychologically safe environment where creativity flourished, in which they could be flexible, receptive, and open to new experiences. There was a willingness to play around with new ideas, and to experiment with their possibilities back in the workplace.
As workshop tutor I will reflect on the lessons learnt in facilitating with highly arts-based right-brained approach versus a logically structured left-brained approach. The aim of using a right-brained approach was to enable participants to experience challenges, which were both enjoyable and energetic and to have the freedom to be independent and take initiatives. A liveliness was experienced which led to feeling excitedly busy with an openness to trust each other and take the time to generate new ideas. Above all the arts-based workshops: created mood settings in which happiness and humour was expressed; allowed debates involving contentious ideas to be voiced; enabled conflicts to be handled constructively; gave support where participants listened attentively; and encouraged risk-taking at a emotional level.