The January Challenge: Facts, Feelings, and Reflections

We’ve been going through all the feedback we receive each year that tells us more about the experience of taking part in The January Challenge. The key themes that emerge consistently are…

Community and Connection: People taking part value the sense of community and enjoy engaging with others' interpretations of the prompts. The feeling of being part of a creative community, sharing ideas, and supporting each other is often celebrated!

“To keep it simple, I loved the sense of community. No matter a person's perception of the prompt, all attempts were celebrated, and that, for me, made the experience.”

 

Mental Health and Wellbeing: Often, we hear from participants how taking part in the Challenge positively impacted their wellbeing and mental health, providing a focus, distraction, or outlet during difficult times. It helped them cope with challenges and brought joy or light into their lives.

 

Variety and Inspiration: As always, The January Challenge is 31 new creative prompts, designed by different people and communities. It’s a celebration of all sorts of ideas and interests! Participants appreciated the variety of prompts offered, finding them inspiring and thought-provoking. There’s something for everyone (and often people will stretch themselves to try out new things!). People enjoy the opportunity to explore different forms of creativity.

 

Personal Growth and Exploration: This year, many people reflected on The January Challenge as an opportunity for personal growth and self-discovery. It provided opportunities to explore new ideas, push boundaries, and develop creative skills. Some discovered hidden talents or found inspiration to pursue further creative endeavours…in fact, 84.6% of people agree that The January Challenge has inspired them to continue being creative!

 

Consistency and Routine: The daily prompts provided a sense of routine and structure for some people, helping them stay engaged and motivated. It became a regular part of their day and contributed to their overall wellbeing.

 

Fun: We hear consistently that The January Challenge is a source of FUN to the thousands of people that take part. And if we can have fun in January, exploring creativity, building community, supporting ourselves and others - then perhaps we can have fun in February and beyond.

 

“Having daily prompts inspired me to be creative everyday. I promised myself that no matter what the prompt was I would commit to doing it each day. Some, I started feeling it would not be for me - but in fact it turned into something new and exciting. On the last day, I joined the online group with the intention of not speaking and having the camera off. I soon put the camera on, joined in the small chat group and was then invited to share with everyone - which I did, and now feel so pleased and grateful to have had this opportunity. For me the creativity of art in all its forms gives me "headspace" and 64 Million Artists has given me confidence to create art without restrictions and expectations. Just Do It. Thank you all so very much.”