Embedding an Everyday Culture of Creativity: Making Creativity Work in a University Context

Universities are often thought of as creativeinstitutions that promote idea generation, learning, and new and valuable thinking. However, the dominant mode of neoliberal economic rationalityin the UK, with its increasing emphasis on student numbers, league tables, assessment, and performance, casts such perceived wisdom in doubt. Against this backdrop, in this chapter, we report on an “innovation project” that was undertaken during 2015–2016 within a UK-based university, which had the aim of embedding a sustainable “everyday culture of creativity” through trialling a programme of creativeinterventions. Our findings explore challenges encountered, including the dilemma of fostering creativitywhile not allowing it to become instrumentalized for goal-driven purposes. We highlight the significance of freedom, trust/permission, risk-taking, and communication as creativityenablers. The chapter concludes with key recommendations for “making creativity work” in a university setting.