Creativity is...

In this special episode for the January Challenge 2023, Michaela goes through the story of The January Challenge - from how it began to how participants are taking part in the challenge this month. We start with a conversation with Jo Hunter, the CEO of 64 Million Artists, who shares how The January Challenge came to be. We then move onto community connector, Bharti Mistry, who tells us more about the ChitChat group in Leicester and the challenge co-creation workshop run by 64 Million Artists. Michaela also chats to Chrissie Okorie, a young poet and one of our lovely collaborators who tells us more about her challenge 'Odd Poetry.' Our final conversation is with Sharon Lewis, the activities manager at Yorkshire based care home, Hazelgrove Court. Sharon does The January Challenge with the residents everyday and during this chat, she recalls their favourite moment from The January Challenge and why our friendly Facebook group has brought a smile to residents' faces. This is a lovely episode that celebrates the creative community that The January Challenge curates. Transcript for the episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/17K9-LWStvwM6-lCby9UisCDKOX3ldIx9RQ_WNc7ZeXg/edit If you liked this podcast, please rate it, leave a review or share with a friend! If you'd like to know more about 64 Million Artists, connect with us on Instagram @64millionartists, Twitter @64M_Artists and Facebook @64millionartists Music: Ketsa - Thinking Free (https://ketsa.uk/) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/64millionartists/message

Nathan Mann is an autistic writer hosting a space for other autistic people for The January Challenge. He's working with others to teach them how to create and write great stories! Nathan joins us in the studio to share his journey to find his creative voice as a teenager and beyond. Pavani Konda is based in the Midlands but connects with her community online through engaging content about her love of Asian TV dramas. Pavani joins us to share her first memories of getting creative and how we should hold on to our curiosity as we grow older. To get the latest episodes in your inbox along with creative prompts to inspire YOUR creativity, subscribe for free here: 64millionartists.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/64millionartists/message

Jo opens up and discusses her lifelong mission to overcome perfectionism and redefine creativity. We put Jo in the hot seat to try out a creative prompt herself (…there's also a very special guest appearance, so tune in below to find out more!) To get the latest episodes in your inbox along with creative prompts to inspire YOUR creativity, subscribe for free here: 64millionartists.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/64millionartists/message

Nigel is a kids TV legend. Having presented on every kid's channel in the UK (you may recognise him from CBeebies Baby club), he now runs a group called the Dadvengers, a blog and podcast, and hosts weekly ‘Dad walks’. Nigel joins us in the 'Creativity is...' studio and shares stories from his creative life in TV and film. He shares how keeping his focus on his goals has led him to success from an early age and why you should never take "no" for an answer. Nigel is one of our 31 Creativity Champions featured in The January Challenge 2024 lineup. Sign up for The January Challenge by visiting 64millionartists.com for free creative prompts and inspiration in your inbox, along with the latest podcast episodes. Want to send us a voice message with a question on creativity for future guests to be featured on future episodes? Click here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/64millionartists/message --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/64millionartists/message

Michael Rosen sits down with us to talk about how his life experiences have led to his creativity and fed his imagination. He shares how he takes notes of ideas, why creativity is so important to humans and what creativity is…to him. Sign up for our weekly newsletter by visiting ⁠64millionartists.com⁠ for free creative prompts and inspiration in your inbox, along with the latest podcast episodes. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/64millionartists/message

Welcome to 'Creativity is...', the podcast by 64 Million Artists that celebrates our unique creativity. The dictionary definition of creativity is… “the ability to go beyond traditional ideas, rules, and patterns and create new ones”.So, regardless of what you’ve thought before, you don't have to be a professional painter, illustrator, singer or musician; all it takes to be creative is to have a mind that can think new thoughts. Each episode explores how our guests' life experiences have shaped their imagination, connections and self-expression. This is an open invitation to everyone. This is a reminder that if you have a mind to dream, you possess the power to be creative. Creativity means different things to all of us, and it can help us understand our feelings, gain perspective and manage stress, or give us five minutes to reconnect with ourselves. Sign up for our weekly newsletter by visiting 64millionartists.com to get free creative prompts and inspiration in your inbox. Because creativity is...yours to explore. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/64millionartists/message

Today Michaela talks to Cathy Reay (@cathyreaywrites), a journalist and online influencer who advocates for disability rights and representation. Cathy is one of our collaborators for the 'We are Culture' programme of The January Challenge 2022. They discuss why we need to re-think the wonderful things that help us towards better access and how self care can help you to live your truth as fully as possible. You can find Cathy's brilliant challenge here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CYbCg3GsjGg/ Would you like to be part of the podcast? To celebrate the end of The January Challenge, we're creating a community episode! You can share your reflections of The January Challenge and we will include them in the next episode of the podcast. To get involved, email your voice notes over to yashoda@64millionartists or send a voice note to our Whatsapp number 020 3882 4709 If you liked this podcast, please rate it, leave a review or share with a friend! If you'd like to know more about 64 Million Artists, connect with us on Instagram @64millionartists, Twitter @64M_Artists and Facebook @64millionartists Music: Ketsa - Thinking Free (https://ketsa.uk/) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/64millionartists/message

Today Michaela talks to Derek Owusu, an award winning writer and poet from North London. Derek is one of our collaborators for the 'We are Culture' programme of The January Challenge 2022. They discuss the power of storytelling in its various forms and why you don't always need to be good at your hobbies to gain value from them. If you liked this podcast, please rate it, leave a review or share with a friend! If you'd like to know more about 64 Million Artists, connect with us on Instagram @64millionartists, Twitter @64M_Artists and Facebook @64millionartists Transcript for this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hUsm2aoTw_2n89wyR5WwC1vv8OLdqFxpZZQ8eKBzb9U/edit Music: Ketsa - Thinking Free (https://ketsa.uk/) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/64millionartists/message

Today Michaela talks to Yumna Hussen, a youth campaigner and writer from Birmingham. Yumna is one of our collaborators for the 'We are Culture' programme of The January Challenge 2022. They discuss why it is important to advocate for yourself and how creativity can help us to be the change we wish to see in the world.  If you liked this podcast, please rate it, leave a review or share with a friend! If you'd like to know more about 64 Million Artists, connect with us on Instagram @64millionartists, Twitter @64M_Artists and Facebook @64millionartists Transcript of this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oyR_6CCCJBo-q3cONrEvrUmptAT_hIx4UQ3fO-pU6Tk/edit?usp=sharing Music: Ketsa - Thinking Free (https://ketsa.uk/) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/64millionartists/message

In the final episode of our January Challenge mini series, we have brought together some thoughts from the people who took part in the January Challenge. During a difficult month and new national lockdown measures, our community has shared how the creative challenges provided them with joy,  gave them an opportunity to connect with others and re-ignited a passion for old skills. If you liked this podcast, please rate it, leave a review or share with a friend! If you'd like to know more about 64 Million Artists, connect with us on Instagram @64millionartists, Twitter @64M_Artists and Facebook @64millionartists Transcript for the episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XdeC4I58nrNPWFqC49aN7vYloiEBQeasZvky3J0wnfc/edit?usp=sharing Music: Ketsa - Thinking Free (https://ketsa.uk/) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/64millionartists/message

Today Michaela is chatting with Yomi Adegoke, the final one of our curators for The January Challenge 2021 in one of the last episodes of our mini series. They discuss how the national lockdown allowed people to reclaim their hobbies and the beauty of having hobbies that you don't turn into side hustles.  If you liked this podcast, please rate it, leave a review or share with a friend! If you'd like to know more about 64 Million Artists, connect with us on Instagram @64millionartists, Twitter @64M_Artists and Facebook @64millionartists Transcript for the episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1j0RV7CXfhXs92T2rDAbGdoxWfrJK49v8jCP9fo8dsyw/edit?usp=sharing Music: Ketsa - Thinking Free (https://ketsa.uk/) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/64millionartists/message

Today Michaela is chatting with Jess Thom, another one of our curators for The January Challenge 2021. They discuss the intrinsic nature of creativity and how The January Challenge can help you reconnect with the activities you've been told by others that you were "bad" at. They also talk about disability arts and how creativity can encourage us to think differently whilst giving us the skills to speak up when we need to. If you liked this podcast, please rate it, leave a review or share with a friend! If you'd like to know more about 64 Million Artists, connect with us on Instagram @64millionartists, Twitter @64M_Artists and Facebook @64millionartists Transcript for the episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lbZciwhBbwLdDAagkLrpj_Yj4OrgH9NLxxIjLnA9dTA/edit?usp=sharing Music: Ketsa - Thinking Free (https://ketsa.uk/) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/64millionartists/message

Today Michaela is chatting with Lemn Sissay, one of our curators for The January Challenge 2021. They talk about how creativity enables us be more ourselves, how reading as a creative act helped Lemn to understand his reality and why being creative allows you to see the world in a different way.  If you liked this podcast, please rate it, leave a review or share with a friend! If you'd like to know more about 64 Million Artists, connect with us on Instagram @64millionartists, Twitter @64M_Artists and Facebook @64millionartists Transcript for the episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RIhuvM5a6mvzfza7P0nKwkVIY2ZgiSZuFvc4jTnhNJQ/edit?usp=sharing Music: Ketsa - Thinking Free (https://ketsa.uk/) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/64millionartists/message

Today Michaela discusses how The January Challenge came to be with the CEO and co-founder of 64 Million Artists, Jo Hunter. They talk about why creativity is so important for your wellbeing, how doing creative challenges can transform your mood and how The January Challenge can help us all to connect whilst we create! If you liked this podcast, please rate it, leave a review or share with a friend! If you'd like to know more about 64 Million Artists, connect with us on Instagram @64millionartists, Twitter @64M_Artists and Facebook @64millionartists Transcript for the episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1S3E6E1rc6EEcQscaWeRoF4Ptyn9dp0KwKWjxDkWKlbE/edit?usp=sharing Music: Ketsa - Thinking Free (https://ketsa.uk/) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/64millionartists/message

Today Michaela talks to Chris Rolls, the former Head of Training and Development at 64 Million Artists. Chris tells the tale of the 6 and a half years he's been with the organisation - from his favourite memories of facilitating community groups and what makes a psychologically safe space to how his favourite way to get creative has changed over time. As Chris moves on from the organisation, we use this conversation to reflect on the incredible work he's done and the legacy he leaves at 64 Million Artists. Please see here to access the transcript for this episode. If you liked this podcast, please rate it, leave a review or share with a friend! If you'd like to know more about 64 Million Artists, connect with us on Instagram @64millionartists, Twitter @64M_Artists and Facebook @64millionartistsMusic: Ketsa - Thinking Free (https://ketsa.uk/) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/64millionartists/message