By Emma Brossman ’20
Creative Mondays at CC’s innovation space is a creative escape from the fast-paced days on the Block Plan.
Jane Hilberry, professor of creativity and innovation, says, “We wanted to give the students a break from the scheduled days and expectations, and give them a space where they could be creative.”
The concept, which has been happening for about a year, was inspired by the class The Moving Line. The class looks to create a space to nourish the creative spirit. CC’s program, Creativity & Innovation at CC, has been working to create new spaces inside and outside the classroom that break away from the educational norm.
On a recent Monday, the space – a remodeled house on Weber Street – was full of students chatting and focusing on creating with a vast array of supplies. Many of the students come weekly, often bringing friends to experience creativity as a break from their busy lives.
This space is open to all, including the preschoolers from the on-campus Schlessman Bennett Children’s Center. It was a happy accident that the young children started to attend Creative Mondays; initially, they were drawn over by a snow cone truck at a Creativity & Innovation open house event; they have been attending ever since. This offers an opportunity for CC students to work with some of the most creative people: young kids.
The Creative Mondays program plans to continue allowing students to have a space to be creative and connect over the arts. The innovation program continues to integrate creativity into other classes such as creative writing, and also brings in faculty who contribute a focus on creativity in the classroom. Creative Mondays, open to anyone on campus, is a space where everyone can feel creative without judgement or assignment, and maybe start to feel creative, just like being a kid again.
