Breakdown of Results
IN THIS SECTION: Exploring how people understand the concepts of creativity and culture
Young people: How do you understand creativity?
The young people who took part in the consultation had a myriad of ideas about what creativity means. Most commonly mentioned were the role of imagination, ideas, creating something and expression. Working outside of or beyond boundaries was also a common theme, as was the importance of being unique, innovative and inventive.
Key findings
Imagination Imagination was the most frequently discussed idea in relation to creativity, and was viewed as a freeing experience.
Innovation, new ideas and being unique Being unusual or unique and coming up with new ideas was highly valued, with some recognising the social value of this and how it can be applied to lots of different activities.
Thinking outside the box Problem solving and thinking in different or unusual ways was really valued, but viewed as something that only some people can do.
Making things Physically making or creating something as part of the creative process was a key sign of creativity, with an emphasis on making pictures.
Expressing yourself For many young people, creativity was a key way to express themselves; often mentioning using creativity as a way to express and connect with their true selves.
Freedom and a lack of boundaries Being able to think or make freely was particularly valued by young people, with many mentioning that creativity tended to happen in extra curricular activities rather than as part of academic studies.
Linked to arts activities Arts activities, especially visual art, dance and writing, were closely linked to creativity for young people.
What does this tell us?
Young people in Calderdale really value the concept of creativity. It’s a way for them to express themselves, and they look for opportunities to use creativity across a range of activities, with a focus on those taking place outside of school.
Adults: How do you understand creativity?
Similar themes emerged for the adults, with an emphasis on expression, imagination and creating things.
Key findings
Expressing feelings and ideas Many adults placed higher value on creativity as a way to express yourself than young people, surpassing the prominent role played by imagination.
Creating and making things Production of a creative act or item reoccurred regularly, with adults commonly thinking about the activities where they saw young people being creative.
Imagination and ideas Like the young people, adults placed high value on imagination and ideas as key parts of creativity.
Experiencing the arts Adults saw a greater variety of arts that could be linked to and experienced as part of creativity, with most emphasis on visual art, music, dance, crafts, performance, photography and writing.
Individual and shared experiences Creativity was emphasised as important to each individual, but also something that can be shared with others.
Exploring and developing Adult respondents placed a higher value on the necessity of creativity as a skill to be developed than the young people, with an emphasis on the role that it takes in helping us to explore the world.
What does this tell us?
Adults are very aware of the importance of creativity for young people, and the enormous amount of value that it adds to their lives.
Young people: How do you understand culture?
Responses to the question of what culture means were more varied than the responses to what creativity means, with a split between those that were thinking of ethnicity and identity, and those who were linking culture to arts and expression.
Key findings
Traditions The traditions followed by families and community groups were key for many young people when thinking about culture.
Beliefs and religion Many young people expressed that their beliefs and religion were key to their experience of culture.
Nationality and ethnicity Where you and your family are from was a main factor in defining your culture and experiences for many young people.
Celebrations and festivals The joy and excitement of cultural events came through strongly in young people’s responses as a highlight of their year.
Food Many young people linked different types of food to experiencing culture, linking tastes and smells to different cultures and ethnicities.
Art Creative activities and art, especially as linked to different styles and traditions, were viewed as key to understanding culture.
Community specific Ideas around culture were usually linked to specific groups of people, with an emphasis on the role of communities and togetherness.
Identity Young people were aware of how important culture is for expressing and forming their identity.
What does this tell us?
Culture is about much more than arts and history for young people: it is about their way of life and how they show the world who they are. The traditions and beliefs of their families are key for shaping their own identities and determining which cultural activities they take part in.
Adults: How do you understand culture?
Responses to the question of what culture means were more varied than the responses to what creativity means, with a split between those that were thinking of ethnicity and identity, and those who were linking culture to arts and expression.
Key findings
Shared values Shared values and behaviours across groups of people was key to defining culture for adult participants,
Customs and traditions Traditions were recognised as important, but with less emphasis on how this linked to identity than was shown in the responses by young people.
Community groups Participants recognised the importance of culture as specific to communities.
Experiences Culture was seen as something to be experienced, usually as a group, as part of both the everyday and special celebrations.
Lifestyles Culture was viewed as an important part of life, often as something fundamental or that enriches everyday experiences.
Arts and heritage Culture was linked to a range of arts and heritage activities, particularly theatre, history and visual art.
What does this tell us?
For adults, culture is a key part of everyday experiences. Diversity of beliefs and traditions is important, as is finding ways to recognise and celebrate these. Arts and heritage are important for amplifying and enriching experiences, both as part of and outside of everyday life.