Pottery, painting or playing the piano – any activity that gets your creativity flowing will lift your mood.
This was discovered in a recent British study. Almost 50,000 people took part in the BBC’s Arts Great British Creativity Test. The results showed that creativity helps reduce stress, improve mood and self-development and this will further enhance self-esteem.
The British study found that:
- 76% of the participants used a creative activity as a tool to prevent stress and anxiety
- 69% used a creative activity for self-development to build up their self-esteem and inner strength
- 53% used them as a tool for contemplation to help them deal with problems and emotions
The material we have gathered during the coaching workshops which Waria has organized for work communities gives very similar results on the benefits of art-based activities for innovativity, problem-solving skills, stress-tolerance, and intergroup interaction.
The results of one-day Creative Connections coaching workshops in the Helsinki area companies show that
- Half of the participants trusted their own creativity after coaching
- Half of the participants believed they would be able to come up with new ideas with greater courage
- 2/3 of the participants reported an improved ability to visualize their ideas
After a day’s coaching we asked the participants to provide free-form feedback and to share their feelings and experiences. They described their insights in the following ways:
“I am more confident; I believe that my thinking can be creative and innovative.”
“In the future I will be able to create space for innovation in my working life.”
“After the coaching day, I think of my work more as a rewarding process, not just in terms of the end result.”
In the Waria creativity coaching workshops you can focus on the following themes under the guidance of a professional artist applying the techniques of fine arts:
1) creativity, problem solving and finding new ideas at work
2) team collaboration, building trust and personal commitment
3) a supportive environment for organizational change
4) support for personal development
5) well-being and stress management at work
Waria partner, visual artist and creativity coach Veronica Slater (UK) says she wants to create a space for the work community to think differently, to get the participants to change their perspectives, to look at things from new angles, to help team members adopt a new approach to each other.
Slater does not predetermine the results of the coaching day, as it is a dialogic process in which the participants always contribute. The key is that in art-based work, participants become aware of a process in which everyone makes their own creative decisions using their imagination and internal resources. As the team begins to look at the progress of the process together, they will make a collective creative journey while exploring the courage, resources, and the personal ways of working of both the individuals and the group.
Creativity coaching is co-organized by Waria and Veronica Slater. Please contact us and let’s tailor the training for your team!
DRAWING ON POTENTIAL
Program: Drawing on Potential is an introductive course designed to develop creative thinking in business. It uses drawing as a tool to open up the process of discovery through guided experimentation.
Your own personal mindset and creative energy of the team will be activated by a professional artist. Courage for new ideas is growing, and the group’s functionality and innovation are improving.
The experience of drawing will also reveal to the team how to process change and create a common vision that overcomes current anxieties. Participants will also develop confidence in drawing and see it as a means to relieve stress resulting in a state of wellbeing.
The workshop instructor will be Veronica Slater.
Visual artist and arts educator Veronica Slater (UK) has been putting into practice a world class model of cultural learning that has developed through 20 years of teaching experience. This has included 17 years at The City Lit in London. Her work has pioneered new areas of arts education and training including ‘Creative Connections’ and ‘The Arts Programme for Business’.
Veronica has extensive ‘hands on’ practical experience in formulating creative practice for business and her courses aim to build on the human resources within an organization. Using drawing as a tool for self-development and to explore group dynamics through opening up the process of discovery with guided experimentation the group learns the ‘art of innovation’.
Duration: 4 hours – 1 day
Season: throughout the year
Group size: 4 – ~ 20 persons
Coaching languages: English, Finnish
Price: 550 €/ person. The price includes coaching, materials and summary of the results. (Minimum billing 4400 €)
