Can creativity be taught? This is the question we explored in the newest episode of Bloomerangas with Ruta Valušytė, Head of the Design Centre at Kaunas University of Technology. Every person has the native ability to create. But like any muscle, creativity needs to be used, trained, and nurtured. If we stop using it, it fades. If we practise it, it becomes more natural and intuitive. What I found especially interesting in this conversation is that creativity does not necessarily need complete freedom. Very often, a blank canvas blocks people. What helps is a thoughtful structure: a clear task, a useful example, a safe environment, and enough freedom to experiment. Ruta describes this as a kind of creative playground: a space where people can explore, fail, try again, and slowly build confidence in their own creative process. Surely, this resonates with us very much as we create creativity playgrounds for offices and spaces for exactly this purpose. We also spoke about AI. AI can be a fantastic tool, but it is still a tool. Ruta compared it to a pencil: if you know what you want to draw, it can help you. But it cannot replace your intention, your judgement, or your imagination. This feels especially important now, when creativity and innovation are so often discussed through the lens of speed and productivity. AI can generate quickly, but true innovation still requires us to question the status quo, define the right challenge, and imagine something that does not yet exist. In the episode, we also talk about: * how universities can nurture creativity * why struggle is part of the creative process * why structure and play need each other * how design education can support a more sustainable future * what it means to design beyond only human users * why curiosity is still one of the most important creative skills One of the strongest ideas from the conversation is that a creative environment is not only about tools, studios, or technology. It is about culture. It is about the values, behaviours, and ways of thinking that make people brave enough to explore something unknown. I hope you will enjoy this talk as much as I did. Read the full summary here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit creativity.bloomerangas.com/subscribe
