The added benefits of giving the gift of creativity

When you give the gift of creativity you are giving more than a present. By gifting a loved one a place on a workshop, an online course to complete in their own time, or a kit containing the tools and instructions to learn a new craft, you may well also be giving them:

• A means of expression
• A sense of satisfaction
• Escapism
• Me-time
• Something to be proud of
• A new friendship
• A sense of self
• A release
• Companionship
• Confidence
• Laughter
• A doorway to new experiences
• . . . and much more (feel free to add yours in the comments)

So, consider the person you are buying for and how a creative experience could benefit them, while also considering what suits their personality.

Do they need some time to be still with their thoughts, or time to not be troubled by their thoughts? Are they an organized sort who likes to know what they are doing when, or do they prefer to go with the flow and pick up and put down when they feel like it. Perhaps they find it difficult to give themselves time for themselves, and would benefit from a schedule that allows them that time, at a specific time (that’s a lot of ‘times’!).

Are they happiest in a neat environment or do they come alive in chaos and mess? Do they like intricate details or wide open spaces? The list goes on, but whatever personality you are buying for, there is always a creative experience to fit the bill.

At Creativity Found our community is growing and the offerings they provide to help adults get creative is already very varied. Have a look at the Gift Ideas page (which is constantly being updated) to be inspired the next time you have presents to buy.

Perhaps your gift recipient would like to keep their hands busy and making while sat in front of the telly with the family, or travelling on a train, in which case crochet, hoop embroidery or Bargello embroidery might be good choices (Crafty Kilner; Mary Broddle Embroidery; Bargello a GoGo).

You may want to give your loved one an introduction to a craft that could lead to bigger things. Weaving, for example, and similarly mosaics, you might think require a lot of space and commitment, but by trying a kit on a smaller scale first the recipient can find out whether or not the activity is right for them (The Oxford Weaving Studio).

If creating characters and personality sounds like something they would enjoy, look for kits and tutorials that will make their eyes light up, whether through textile work, drawing, painting or fabrication (Amy Harwood Illustration).

For connecting with likeminded people and making new friends, in-person meetups and workshops can’t be beaten. If the recipient would like to boost their confidence, performing-arts classes can help them to figure out ways to come out of their shell, and are not as scary as they may sound. Perhaps a Craft and Chat type of event might suit them better, where friendly chat and making connections is the background to creative experiments, or working on an existing project (Creatful).  

Or perhaps the person you want to surprise is an outdoors type who would enjoy getting creative while feeding their love of nature. This might mean learning about planting and designing in nature, or by learning a craft that uses natural inspirations (Sussex Garden School).

Of course these categories are not definitive, they overlap and intertwine, and creative gift ideas suit all sorts of needs. So, if you are looking for inspiration, the Gift Ideas page at creativityfound.co.uk is the perfect place to go to start the cogs whirring and planning a truly unique, useful and wanted present. You can choose a specific kit or event, or go for gift vouchers, available from many of our members.

Creativity Found Collective

The Creativity Found Collective is a membership for artists and crafters who share their creative skills with grown-ups through workshops, online courses, products or subscriptions. It is also a membership for business-support enterprises who use their expertise to help those artists and crafters to grow their businesses.

We promote their offerings on the website and connect them with a network of like-minded business owners. 

All of this is backed up by the Creativity Found podcast, in which I chat with grown-ups who have found or re-found their creativity later in life.

You can find out more about the Creativity Found Collective membership here.

And don't forget, you can subscribe to the mailing list here.