So how does engaging in art and culture help you become better creative thinkers?

Picasso once said, “There is only one way to see things, until someone shows us how to look at them with different eyes”, and this lies at the very centre of creative thinking. While technical knowledge supports us in functional purposes, immersing yourself in art and culture brings out your inner creative thinker. Creative thinking engages us in abstract and analytical thinking. When creative thinking and technical knowledge come together, we find innovation.

?Why is being a creative thinker important?

Creative thinking is not limited to art and some novel ideas an artist might have. It is a way of thinking of something in a different or a new way. Creative thinking is used not just in art but in all aspects of life. In workspaces specifically, the ability to think differently and come up with solutions for varied problems is a highly valued skill. There are always multiple ways to solve the same problem that is where creative thinking comes into the picture.

Creativity is not just arts and crafts. We are all creative in our own different ways. The only way we differ is through our expressions of creativity. Some people might be creative through art, writing, and poetry but other people might be creative in their thought processes. STEM careers, as opposed to popular notions, need highly creative individuals. Our ability to see a challenge from a different perspective is an important aspect of creative thinking.

So how does engaging in art and culture help you become better creative thinkers?

Art helps you develop observational and analytical skills. By observing art, you immerse yourself in another person’s world, their perspective, and their creativity, allowing you to explore another person’s point of view. This helps you in abstract thinking, which in turn helps you analyse a problem from a different standpoint. By doing art, either through painting, crafts or any other medium, you can express yourself in a more creative manner, exercising your creative thinking.

Art is also a very inspirational medium. Whenever we view art, be it something we understand/ don’t understand, like, or not, it always stirs something in our mind. Picasso’s work for one person might seem absurd but to another it might seem like the most sensible thing in the world, but at the end of the day the engages you in thought provoking and refreshing ways, inspiring you to think creatively.

Culture at the core of it, is the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of an individual or society. We being a part of a culture have different experiences that shapes our creative thinking. When we try and solve a problem, we look at an issue with some preconceived notions and thinking mechanisms that we have already acquired or developed. But, being able to look at the problem with more than one perspective allows you to try and come up with the best possible solution. Therefore, engaging yourself in different cultures exposes you to new perspectives, allowing you to understand how they think about solving problems and makes you a better creative thinker.

Being part of a cultural community allows you to be exposed to new ideas and understandings, which can give you the chance to develop important life skills such as confidence, self-discipline, effective communication, and teamwork. This instils in us a sense of collaboration, which is an important part of creative thinking.

Creativity is complex and culture sensitive. Through arts, we understand the fundamental processes of imagination, exploration, discovery, and creativity. Understanding of culture on the other hand, influences the expression or the output of the individual’s creative ideas. Therefore, we can say without any fear of contradictions that engaging in art and culture makes you a better creative thinker.