For the most part, are we not already living the future of creativity and design? Who could have thought that ten, five, two, or even one year ago the advances we have seen in technology would be so integral to the way we do business and live our lives. How many of us are doing a job that wasn’t even invented when we were at school or studying our profession?
The combination of fully developed creative technologies, social media and the way technology is now built into how we do business is the old news here. We have slipped into the realm of technology as the norm. Humans are incredibly adaptable and here in Australia we are great ‘early adopters’ of new technology and innovation, we adopt with gusto – kudos to us. If such a level of absorption has already been achieved, what possibilities does the future hold for creativity and design?
When people talk about creativity for the future, they talk about creative cutting-edge technologies and innovation. But creativity at its very core, is a human condition and the impact of that creativity is felt in our everyday lives.
Creativity has bought us a new way of engaging with technology. It has provided a platform for ‘humanist’ design, and given interactivity and connectedness to ideas. For the most part, social media and particularly Facebook is a human technology. It provides a space for the best and the worst of human behaviour. Being human is multidimensional, and social media taps into our human desire to be ‘liked’, to belong, to communicate and connect with other humans in a multidimensional way.
Techbrain courtesy Maxmeadow on Flicker
We are all creative beings – some more than others. Creativity and technology is a bit like the chicken or the egg question. What comes first, the creativity or the technology? I argue that creativity is always the genesis of an idea. We can either create an idea for new technology or we can create an idea for the use of that new technology – either way, the idea and the creative thinking is the starting line. Do this and we future proof creativity as technologies best friend.
So what does the future look like for creativity?– the future looks bright. It will be the shiniest, most brilliant ideas and teams that combine creativity, technology and humanology (yes I did just make that word up) that will rise to the top and populate our lives.
Coincidently this week, two events are happening in my sphere that are positioning the Future of Creativity; the first being facilitated by The Digital Industry Association of Australia (AIMIA) with The Australian Graphic Design Association (ADGA) and the second facilitated in my hometown the Blue Mountains, by the Creative Cluster and the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre.
Both are exploring what design and creativity could potentially look like in the future – (who needs a crystal ball, right?)
AIMIA and AGDA is presenting a panel of expert innovators and corporates to discuss emerging trends and technologies as exemplars of the best, most innovative ideas and technologies.
The other being presented by the Blue Mountains Creative Cluster will put the spotlight on the creative process of design and explore inter-disciplinary design collaborations on a practical level – in other words, we are going to tap into our very humanist of endeavours of creativity with other creative people.
For more information about the Creative Industries Cluster Workshop HERE
For more information about the AIMIA panel HERE