Safe Spaces for Enabling the Creative Process in Classrooms

Abstract

Based on interviews with five creative professionals this article looks to investigate the creative experience as a source of data on how educators might create space for enabling the creative process in the classroom. Looking toward professional artists who are also committed educators provides core commentary on how to maximise creative experiences in the classroom. Whilst acknowledging the importance of physical space, the following article looks purposefully toward how to enable space as an internal state of being, with the intent toward establishing transdisciplinary discussions that stimulate and provoke creative pedagogical research across an interdependent continuum. The research concludes that enabling space for the creative process lies in the educators’ ability to create safe physical, social and emotional spaces for exploring creative processes. Implications for initial teacher education, professional development and classroom practice are identified.