Reflections on Creativity from Jemima Frankel
“When I first joined 64 Million Artists at 24, it was on a three-month internship. Seven years and six different roles (!) later, I’ve learned more than I could ever have imagined. It’s been a place where ideas come alive quickly, where something you dream up in the morning can be happening by the afternoon. And, it’s a place where creativity isn’t just something we talk about, but something we do, think about and share everyday.
As I prepare to go on maternity leave, I’ve been reflecting on what these years have taught me about creativity, about people, and about how we navigate change together.
Creativity is everywhere (and means something different to everyone) It can be joyful, intimidating, healing, and necessary. I’ve seen nearly (but not quite!) 64 Million lightbulbs go off when people are given time and space to explore their creativity. Creativity doesn’t just mean drawing well or being able to play the piano – creativity shows up in the smallest moments – in how we prepare food, how we play, how we imagine new futures for ourselves and others. Whether or not we name it, it’s there as a pulse running through everything we do.
Creativity isn’t always fun! Being creative can often feel a vulnerable or exposing place to be. It can be born out of absolute necessity, and deeply human. Some of the most creative people I’ve met are those society can too often overlook – people navigating barriers, but surviving (and thriving) using their creativity, courage and imagination.
The simplest ideas are often the most powerful. We have always come back to one central idea: We are all creative. When we use our creativity, we can make change in our lives and in the world around us. Keeping things simple keeps them true.
And…the ripple effect is real. A small creative moment can have consequences far beyond what we see – like a pebble landing on a still lake, its ripples touch others in ways we may never know. I’ve witnessed that ripple effect time and time again in our projects and interactions, and it remains for me the greatest magic of this work.
As I move on to my next role in motherhood, and beyond that as a Play Therapist, I will carry these lessons with me. They give me hope and an enduring belief that creativity is something we are never in deficit of. It connects us, helps us listen, and offers us a way to navigate complex times in the world with openness and the capacity to move forward.
Thank you 64 Million Artists! For the friends, the joy, the Challenge, and the infinite ripples.”
Jemima Frankel, Head of Public Programmes
Photo credit: Donna Ford