OKLAHOMA’S CREATIVE MINDER ince Creative Oklahoma is a prime promoter for an abstract concept – creativity – describing how the Oklahoma City-based nonprofit works can be tricky. It’s not like the group gathers people in a room, hands out crayons and construction paper and announces, “Be creative!” Creative Oklahoma, led by President Susan McCalmont, is based on research that shows creativity in a community, school or business can be revved up and propagated when it’s actively encouraged. The group does that by hosting conferences, bestowing creativity awards, sponsoring creativity “boot camps” and more. After seven years of doing just that, Creative Oklahoma is better described by its achievements. Serendipitously brought together the mind behind Bricktown’s 500-student Academy of Contemporary Music with educators who made it a reality (see page 35). Hosted a record-breaking 2,600 people from 18 countries and 38 states at the seventh annual World Creativity Forum (first time in the U.S.). Influenced an economic development delegation from Chiang Mai, Thailand, with a metro of about 1 million people, to visit four U.S. destinations to study creativity and innovation: Silicon Valley, Austin, San Francisco and Oklahoma City. Helped establish the Oklahoma FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) regional robotics competition, and Oklahoma schools’ robotics teams grew from a handful to more than 50. OKC’s 7-year-old Halloween parade, with 60,000 spectators last year, was the brainchild of Creative Oklahoma collaborators searching for a new signature event. Creative Oklahoma operates on the supposition that brilliant ideas fuel the 21st century economic engine. “You have to be intentional about creating this environment,” says McCalmont. “We philosophically believe that everyone is born with creative talents and gifts. Creativity is not just for the lone geniuses. We’re all capable, and we don’t age out of it.” The group’s members focus their work in three areas: education, commerce and culture. The goal is to forge creativity-oriented graduates, foster more entrepreneurial approaches in business and build a better place to live through arts and cultural initiatives. “People have that need to connect with one another physically, to be inspired by new ideas and to rub shoulders with Oklahomans who are in the creative businesses,” she said. “It can feel pretty tough if you’re a very creative and innovative person – whether it’s a school, a business environment, a church or a home – where you feel like ‘I’m all alone.’” McCalmont and Creative Oklahoma have already changed mindsets about opportunities in the state. Students and entrepreneurs have been amazed after finding out about the movement and the resources already in place to help innovators. “The real rationale behind it is that we want to be a perception game changer for Oklahoma,” McCalmont says. “We do produce some of the most incredible individuals, but no one has looked at that collective talent. No one has put together the synergy of saying, ‘Look at Oklahoma. We are the state of creativity.’”
A CRUSH OF CREATIVITY
The core of Oklahoma’s creative class in commerce, education and culture will converge Nov. 19 at the 2013 State of Creativity Forum in downtown Oklahoma City, one of the largest creativity and innovation conferences in the United States. More than 1,200 entrepreneurs, educators and students, policymakers, business leaders, technology experts and trailblazers are expected for the third annual event at the Civic Center Music Hall. The festive environment includes innovative business exhibitors, visual and performing artists and interactive conversation groups, and provides a platform for networking and idea generation.
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS INCLUDE:
· Nancy Kanter, executive vice president of Disney Junior Worldwide. Kanter leads global creative content for Disney Junior digital and TV programming. · Brad Moore, president of Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions, whose series is the most honored in U.S. TV history. · Gregg Fraley, an innovation consultant and author of “Jack’s Notebook,” a business novel used by Berkeley, Cambridge and other business schools. · Peter Sims, best-selling management author, entrepreneur and founder of BLK SHP Enterprises, a California creative consultancy. Call 232.5570 or visit StateofCreativity.com for more information. OCTOBER 2013 // SLICE 33