Six ideas on how to celebrate the World Day of Creativity and Innovation

The World World Creativity and Innovation Day is celebrated on April 21, this year for the eighth time since it was established by the United Nations. The idea behind this initiative is to draw attention and remind the importance of creativity - the ability to create new ideas and find new solutions - and innovation for the development of all segments of society. Creativity and innovation together are its driving force and deserve to be celebrated, and we bring you some suggestions on how.

Organize a thematic (artistic, culinary...) workshop in an inspiring space or a light sports activity. Visit a museum or gallery, and after the tour, let everyone share their impressions. And informal socializing in nature with casual conversation is always a good idea.

Create a presentation or dashboard with visual representations of successful projects from several years ago and share the most significant moments related to them. Colleagues who may not have been part of the team at the time can gain new insights, and being reminded of successes can be a good motivation for those colleagues who were part of them.

Create a team quiz - Who knows colleagues best? – or about clients (if you are an agency). Fun is guaranteed, and so is creativity. If the team members are extremely competitive, you can compete to see who will come up with the most original campaign name or unusual solution to a given problem. At the same time, the task itself can be the result of a creative process, rather than an actual campaign or problem.

Exchange ideas with background music. Let everyone choose a song that stimulates their creativity or simply likes to listen to it while working. Or just play some ambient music, if you think the eclectic playlist will distract you anyway. 

If you can, change the room where you hold meetings, or refresh it with some new visual element.

Take a different route to work. Read emails in a different order than usual. Drink coffee from a different cup, not from your favorite one. Even with small changes, big ideas can emerge. 

Try switching roles with colleagues. Not only will you better understand the dynamics of different positions, but you will be on a new source of ideas.

Arrange with your colleagues to read a book on the topic of creativity and/or innovation and to exchange impressions afterwards. Or anyone can choose their book and present it to their colleagues. If the team members are book lovers, the book club can become a tradition. 

Nurturing creativity and encouraging innovation in your organization can help retain the best people and attract new talent, given that employees appreciate a stimulating work environment. Innovation improves brand reputation, while the survey Most Innovative Companies 2023 - Reaching New Heights in Uncertain Times shows the link between innovation and financial performance of companies. 

Creativity and innovation bring vibrancy to everyday life - they not only enrich life, but also strengthen it and move it towards new possibilities. When we give them space, life becomes richer, bolder and more fulfilling - these are the forces that encourage us to grow, create and change the world around us.

Illustration: Freepik.com