The various postings on brainstorming and groups have made me reflect, too, on the work that, for a number of years, I was engaged in creating and devising group-based arts projects (theatre, site-specific performance, music etc.).
The devising process - over days and weeks - is essentially one long brainstorming process leading to a product of some sorts. There are, of course, ups and downs, longeurs, cul-de-sacs, etc. And some days some people are more 'creative' than others. But, when it works, it's a very exciting, satisfying process.
In particular, thinking about group creativity, it's the way ideas get thrown around, picked up, run with without any sense of ownership i.e. "that's my idea". Of course there are those times when, having had a not particularly creative day collectively, an individual wakes up in the middle of night with their creative light burning bright and comes in the next day and fires the group with their idea. But nobody goes "oh why didn't I think of that" but everyone is grateful for and enthused by having something that moves the project on.
The appeal of devised arts projects lies, partly at least, in their collective creativity. I have argued for a long time that a lot of what is called the 'creative arts' is not particularly creative at all. Skill and talent, when performed at a high level, are extremely satisfying and rewarding but not necessarily creative. Much performing arts activity is based on producing and performing the product of an individual's particular creativity - be it a composer, a playwright, a choreographer, etc. . The 'workers' job - be it a second violinist, an actor, or a dancer - is to use their often prodigious skill and talent to realise the individual's creative vision.
It's the failure to realise this distinction that explains why the arts in schools - as the 'A' level art story demonstrated - are often so dismally un-creative. I, too, 'failed' art A level at school in the late 1960s.. Then went on to art school and a relatively successful and long career in the arts. I remember my art teacher - who was well aware of the surreal absurdities of the system - saying " If any of the masters of modern art had taken A level art, not only would they have failed - though many of them had the ability to pass with flying colours if they'd stuck to the rules - they would have been recommended to go for psychiatric assessment!"
Best wishes
Paul
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Dr. Paul Kleiman
Deputy Director
PALATINE
The Higher Education Academy
Subject Centre for Dance, Drama and Music
Lancaster University
Lancaster LA1 4YW
UK
direct line: 01524 593775
mobile: 07884 00 36 95
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