Creative Crawley: Place, Power and Practice

Spent a brilliant couple of hours last week with Louise Blackwell, Founder Director of Creative Crawley, who kindly showed me around their two spaces and shared the story behind this energising arts-led, place-based programme.

We talked co-creation — and that its OK to ‘just’ collaborate - not as a buzzword but a real practice of listening and rebalancing power. We talked about the importance of having peers around us who challenge and stretch us. And we talked about our shared belief in the transformative impact of creativity, especially when it opens up choice and opportunity for those we live among and work with.

Creative Crawley is having serious impact — galvanising business and community sectors, creatively activating assets in the town, and working with integrity and ambition towards systemic change.

Big thanks to Louise for the generous welcome and inspiring conversation.