Radical Creativity
There is no set recipe for changing the world. It takes courage and grit to boldly create something new without fearing failure.
Summer School Alum Story: 'Creativity is a language that doesn't need words'
Driving change and new perspectives are some of the core themes of the Radical Creativity course by Aalto University Summer School.
Susan van Esch was one of the students of this year’s Radical Creativity summer course at Aalto University Summer School. As a Head of the master's programme Crossover Creativity at Utrecht School of Arts in the Netherlands, she found inspiration and new learning practices across her own discipline and the summer course at Aalto.
Susan is an anthropologist with an extensive background in international development for big corporations and international NGOs. Driving change and bringing people closer together through creativity is particularly close to her heart.
‘I have always had a heavy focus on driving social change and working towards an equal world where everyone has the same opportunities and possibilities. The power of creativity is elevated when people from different backgrounds, disciplines and internationalities are brought together. Radical creativity is truly a language that you don’t need words for. If we join forces, we can do so much more,’ says Susan.
Susan, why did you attend the course Radical Creativity at Aalto University Summer School?
I attended the course to gather insights for a master’s program course I’m leading in Utrecht. I was especially interested in exploring how radical creativity and playful approaches can drive social change and foster collective collaboration – but also what kind of counter-effects and tension radical creativity can cause.
After the course, I was so inspired that I started to dream about a future collaborative summer school with Utrecht and Aalto, where we could meet online to exchange ideas and experiences about radical creativity. Who knows, maybe one day?
What does radical creativity mean to you?
When I joined the course, I knew I wanted to get a solid understanding of what radical creativity truly means. I realize that everyone has their own interpretation of it, but to me, radical creativity is all about the journey. It’s a process - coming from your deepest, innermost, core drive to bring transformational change.
'I tried visualizing some of the exercises on my own after we received information about them, but doing them together was an entirely different experience. The deep connection you build with others during the exercises is something you just can’t practice or imagine in advance,' Susan comments.
‘Teaching this course for the first time was also a nourishing experience for us. We had the privilege of getting to know and enjoy the company of the course participants for two weeks. Their engagement and commitment to the course made in-class time, working together, and thinking together a wonderful experience. Now, we can look back and think about how to improve moving forward thanks to their feedback and pointers. Radical Creativity is an evolving concept for us – and we think of the classroom as a place to challenge, define, and grow with it,’ says Natalia Villaman, Radical Creativity course teacher.
We would like to keep welcoming curious participants, willing to try out different activities, not afraid to dip their toes into theoretical concepts, happy to explore their professional paths, and ready to engage in meaningful conversations with themselves and others,’ Natalia concludes.
Aalto University Summer School
Aalto University Summer School offers high-quality academic summer courses and programs at Aalto University during the winter and the summer.
Summer School teacher interview: Radical Creativity is a human capacity rather than a super talent
Get to know Natalia Villaman and Ricardo Dutra – the teachers behind the Radical Creativity summer course by Aalto University Summer School.
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