7 days, 7 ways to get creative

What if, for one week, we all took the time to be creative? Create Week allows everyone to experience first-hand the benefits of the creative arts.

The concept is simple: Every day, people are encouraged to try a different form of creativity. Activities range from mindful drawing and song-writing to collage and filmmaking. All have been devised by Create’s professional artists. Activities are available both via step-by-step written instructions and via video. All are available free of charge.

Everyone can join the celebration of creativity online and help raise awareness of the importance of creativity by using the hashtag #CreateWeek.

The looming creativity crisis

Despite decades of research demonstrating that creativity is essential to personal and societal wellbeing, the UK is facing a crisis of access to the creative arts:
A report from The University of Warwick and the Campaign for the Arts has revealed that the UK has one of the lowest levels of government spending on arts and culture among European countries, slashing its total culture budget by 6%.
Research from the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre points to a looming creative economy skills shortage across the UK as a result of a ‘severe’ decline in creative further education participation, which are declining at a faster rate than average across all subject disciplines.
A major report commissioned by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Creative Diversity, co-authored by researchers from King’s College London, found that access to creative Higher Education remains highly unequal across gender, ethnicity, and social class.
Create Week brings creativity to everyone

Create Week is a celebration of creativity, founded on the belief that people need to create and that everyone should have access to the life-enhancing power of the arts.

Charities, companies and other organisations are recognising the importance of this issue and getting involved. A list of organisations already supporting the campaign is on the Create Week site.

What Create Week supporters say

Actor, comedian and author Isy Suttie, a Create Week Champion, said:

“What I love about Create week is that it’s so easy to do, and there’s no wrong way of doing it: the joy is in the process. Create Week demonstrates perfectly the ethos at the heart of Create as a charity: it celebrates the importance of creativity in an ever-changing world, and the fact that anyone can have a go. Everyone should have the right to escape by creating, and sharing your achievements is a fantastic way of showing others the power and peace creativity can bring. I always think the hardest bit is starting something, so just do it!”

Novelist Esther Freud, a Create Week Champion, said:

“How wonderful to be encouraged to be creative. There is nothing that soothes and inspires us more than making something, expressing ourselves, learning a new craft. Create does such important work. We need them. And now we have a whole week to focus on our creative selves. Even a few minutes a day makes a difference.”

Nicky Goulder MBE, Founding CEO of Create, said:

“We all need creativity to thrive. Being creative is a fundamental human need, an absolute necessity for wellbeing and growth. At Create, we provide free creative arts experiences across the UK for people facing challenges in their lives, all led by our professional artists. Create Week gives everyone a chance to experience the joy of creating through seven activities, devised by our artists, that can be done wherever you are. Our dream is a world in which everyone benefits from access to the power of the creative arts. Create Week brings that dream a bit closer to reality.”

Get involved

Visit createweek.org to find out more and get creative.