Why Do We So Often Treat Creativity as Optional?
There’s a kind of creativity that is so embedded in daily life that it doesn’t always get noticed.
It’s there in the way someone fixes a broken gate with whatever they have on hand, or when a teacher reshapes a lesson because the class isn’t engaged. It’s there too in how a small business adapts in uncertain times. This creativity thrives in Aotearoa, but it isn’t always named or admired – though it quietly shapes the decisions and work of everyday life.
You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.
— Maya Angelou
Pausing to recognise and name creativity can be complicated.
We tend to place it in particular spaces (art rooms, studios, theatres, galleries) and associate it with certain kinds of people (artists, musicians, actors). But when we do that, we miss how deeply it runs through every aspect of life.
Our ability to think flexibly, adapt, and imagine alternatives is essential – it’s part of how we function and thrive. It is what makes us human. It isn’t, however, always facilitated or nurtured.
Creativity is important because it helps us navigate our complex and changing world. It allows us to approach problems from different angles, adapt when conditions shift, and reshape what we already know into something useful or new. These ways of thinking are woven through everyday life, even when they aren’t always recognised as ‘creative’.
Economically, creativity is also highly valued. Employers routinely ask for innovation, initiative, problem solving, and flexible thinking – all qualities closely tied to creativity. It sits at the centre of originality and growth, but also quieter forms of leadership: responding when things don’t go to plan, adjusting direction, and finding new ways forward in uncertain situations.
Creativity also carries deeply personal and social value. It supports self-expression, strengthens confidence, and helps people develop a stronger sense of identity. It can be a safe space to explore and process emotions, values and experiences. Shared creative experiences can foster connection between people and contribute to more engaged, compassionate communities. When creativity is encouraged, people often feel more capable of contributing ideas, participating fully, and imagining alternatives.
For a long time, creativity was named and valued more openly – in conversations about art, innovation, education, technology, and the future.
It wasn’t just ‘nice to have’; it was treated as essential. Lately, that conversation has become harder to hear, muted by a push for measurable outcomes and cost efficiency. Less tangible abilities or outcomes have been sidelined because they are more complicated to quantify or compare.
So, there’s a gap; creativity is widely recognised as valuable – economically, socially, personally – yet it isn’t always given the space, time, or emphasis you’d expect if that value were fully acknowledged.
You can see this tension highlighted most clearly within the education sector, particularly in high school. For many students, traditionally creative subjects like art, drama, dance, music, can feel separate from the ‘main’ learning of maths, English, and science. They’re often treated as enjoyable and expressive, but not essential. “What’s the point?” can hover – especially if you aren’t naturally confident with a paintbrush or instrument. Why spend time on lessons that don’t seem to fit neatly into credits, or career plans?
So, what is the point? Well, creativity isn’t just about what you make in a particular lesson; it’s about how you think – how you approach challenges, connect ideas, and stay open to more than one answer. It moves with you into conversations, decisions, relationships, and work.
It should be a central part of how we approach learning across all subjects, not just confined to a sketchbook or stage. It deserves to be embraced and nurtured at the centre of learning. Celebrated and facilitated by leaders in the workplace. Embedded within our communities, councils and local government.
When it’s nurtured, creativity builds confidence, connection, and more expansive thinking. When it’s overlooked, people begin to doubt their ideas and hesitate to try.
Perhaps the real cost isn’t what we can measure, but what we quietly lose when people stop feeling able to imagine, try, and make. The question is no longer whether creativity matters – we already know it does – but what happens when we begin treating it as optional.
Hannah Beasley is a researcher, educator, writer, and community practitioner exploring creativity, human potential, and the environments that help people thrive.
You can read more Hannah’s stories here.
Words by Hannah Beasley
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