RECLAIMING WONDER IN AMERICAN ENTERPRISE
Founded by Theo Edmonds in 2024, Creativity America is on a mission to redefine the American workplace by fusing the arts and sciences of creativity into mainstream business innovation. It’s no secret that research shows that American creativity, business dynamism, and workers' mental well-being are declining. Perhaps most troubling, only 36% of Americans still believe in the American Dream. This isn’t just a statistic; it’s a signal that the very fabric of our nation’s identity is fraying.
To counter this, Creativity America is leading a movement to reclaim a sense of wonder in American enterprise. We aim to increase the Creative Brain Capital of American businesses by 25% over the next decade. This isn’t about teaching individuals to be creative; it's about unlocking creativity as an enterprise solution that elevates entire organizations. Our systematic approach focuses on team and organization-level action, solving the human side of the future of work. We believe the solution to America’s most pressing challenges is not more technology; it’s exponentially expanding our capacity to innovate from within.
But we believe it’s even bigger than that. Creativity is our nation’s greatest strategic asset—one that could reshape the notion of working, creating, and thriving in America today. → Discover more at CreativityAmerica.com
WHAT IF THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES WERE RECOGNIZED AS THE CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE CONNECTING ALL SECTORS TO THE FUTURE OF WORK?
Creativity America began as an exploration—a deep dive into this very question. From 2022-2024, I traveled the country and the world, holding space for hundreds of collaborators, participants, and visionaries. Together, through immersive experiences, workshops, and community-raising events, we created Quantum Storytelling Labs where courageous imagination met data-driven insight. These labs explored the edge of innovation as the arts and creative industries began fusing with brain science and business, revealing the power of creativity as a transformational force.
WHERE WE WENT
From the heart of Silicon Valley’s Brain Capital Summit, where the newest paradigms of thought converge, to the experimental nerve center of MIT Media Lab, where Creativity America emerged as a unique bridge between arts, science, and business—our journey has been nothing short of revolutionary. In New York City, we joined the global dialogue at the UN General Assembly’s Brain Capital sessions, co-hosting an influential creativity summit with New York Public Radio.
We brought wonder workshops to the Cities Summit of the Americas in Denver, probing the future of urban development with city leaders. From ArtsMidwest leadership sessions in Bayfield, WI, and Minneapolis, MN, to regional explorations with Appalachia’s social innovators in Southeastern Kentucky, our focus was clear: how to unlock creativity and hope as powerful, sustainable forces for growth.
This journey also extended beyond borders: from Barcelona's Brain Capital Alliance forums to the Euro-Mediterranean Economist Association sessions, where global perspectives expanded our vision, and Mexico City, where American leaders and artists explored resilience through mutual vulnerability.
WHAT WE HEARD
As Torrie Allen, President & CEO of Arts Midwest, puts it:
"The future of our species hinges on our ability to go deeper into the layers of our creativity. As we navigate the intricacies of modern work and life, leveraging its complexities is imperative. Creativity America is ensuring this brighter horizon."
Maryrose Flanigan, Executive Director of The Alliance for the Arts in Research Universities, echoes the sentiment:
"Creativity America’s strength is in bringing people together across sectors to find holistic, integrated solutions. It’s the powerful start we need to break down silos and ask the right questions."
At Meow Wolf, Chief Impact Officer Julie Heinrich remarks:
"Creativity America’s leadership and passion for deeper understanding come at a critical time as we prepare the global workforce for AI-driven futures. We’re proud to support this vital mission."
From small towns to major cities, the message is the same: America must recognize creativity as more than an individual trait. Brad Clark, Director of Workforce Solutions at Edelen Renewables, emphasizes:
"Creativity America is drawing a straight line from curiosity to economic mobility, especially in places where small businesses are the engines of local economies."