Full disclosure: I can’t remember the last time I attended an industry talk! With two wee girls and a shared diary booked out for me, that kind of thing went out the window for a while.

With a little trepidation, I ventured back via the third instalment of the BIMA Beat series titled, Creativity on The Map.

Amongst all the various competing pressures out there, I feel like we’ve started to overlook the value and importance of true creative thinking and problem-solving. So, as a graphic designer and creative lead, I was excited to hear the different perspectives on this.

A huge shoutout to the fantastic line-up of speakers who left us all inspired: Helena Good, Founder and Director of Daydream Believers; Benjamin Fallon, Designer, Writer, Curator, and Gallery Owner; Colin Hewitt, Chief Executive Officer of Float App; and Martin Boath, Creative Director of Imaginary Friends. Their insights were invaluable, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to have learnt something from every one of them.

Helena had us at ‘hello’. I think that everyone fell a little bit in love with her and her passion for ‘investing in the dreamers of tomorrow’. We all wished that we could have had a teacher like her!

Daydream Believers is her vision for placing creativity at the heart of education. It’s a free, ready-to-use, online resource bank for educators that utilise creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving techniques applicable across the curriculum and beyond. Her presentation had us recalling our own individual journeys into creative careers as well as the figures who really lifted us up and set us on our way.

I was lucky that, from my mid-teens, I knew I wanted to be a graphic designer. A head start on most. However, I soon found I was out on a limb with nobody equipped to advise me on ‘arty-farty stuff’ which wasn’t perceived as traditionally academic. I could see where I wanted to get to, but finding a route through was tough, and it felt like a risk.

Thirty years on (ouch!) and it seems we’re still battling to champion and nurture creativity! One of the challenges is in the perception of the word itself. The first assumption is paint brushes and making a mess when really, creativity exists in many forms. In my work, creativity is about solving a problem and fulfilling a brand or marketing need. The outputs just happen to be visual. For others, creativity lives in scientific discovery, culinary arts, engineering or even entrepreneurship. There is creativity in everything we do and that’s what Daydream Believers aims to highlight.

‘Invest in the dreamers of tomorrow’

They believe in fostering creativity and encouraging the exploration of bold ideas for problem-solving through crafting transformative learning resources. As a non-profit, their mission to transform how our young people are educated is powered by forward-thinking individuals and businesses.

I was amazed to hear of the Daydream Believers Creative Thinking Qualification which has 24 SCQF credits at levels 5 & 6. The level 6 has also got UCAS tariff points. With resources such as Forestopia, Rethink Failure and Solarpunk Island, they are helping to empower young people to become future innovators and problem-solvers.

If you’re interested in learning more, donating to, or even joining this fantastic cause then visit: daydreambelievers.co.uk

If you're eager to keep your finger on the pulse in 2023, then make sure you stay tuned for future BIMA Beat events! Let's continue to explore the ever-evolving world of digital creativity together.