The social enterprise 64 Million Artists is encouraging people to explore their creative potential and unlock their power of imagination as part of its January Challenge.
Every morning throughout January, an inspiring creative challenge, set by a Creative Champion, is emailed directly to everyone who is signed up.
This year’s Creative Champions include Children’s Laureate Wales, Alex Wharton, artist Krystal Lowe, CBeebies’ presenter Nigel Clarke and poet Michael Rosen.
They have contributed ideas for creative thinking, making, seeing and doing challenges and will host virtual events, contribute to podcasts and run in-person workshops for the 31 days of January.
The January Challenge is a mass participatory national campaign designed to boost creativity during the gloomiest month of the year and improve well-being and happiness.
Activities are all free, accessible, and available in person at local workshops and online.
“The January Challenge is a lovely idea for people to think about the fact that you've got creativity inside you,” said Michael Rosen. pictured below.
“Everybody has - they're doing gardening and thinking, ‘Well, I'll put this over there, and do this over there, I'll just try that out’ - that's actually creativity! If you just name five of the major problems of the world, or whatever it is, you can be sure that they need creative ways of dealing with them. Because if you're not creative about them, you'll just repeat your mistakes.
“So, we need creativity. When you put something out there, either onto a piece of paper, or what you've actually done, is taken something out of your head, and this enables you to look at yourself taking you beyond feeling satisfied, it takes you into a kind of serenity.”
Founded in 2014, 64 Million Artists runs bespoke programmes and nationwide campaigns for individuals, communities and leaders across schools, universities, whole cities, workplaces, cultural institutions, health and government bodies to reconnect people with their creativity.
To find out more about The January Challenge, sign up and get involved in 2024 visit www.64millionartists.com