Creativity is Not a Luxury—It’s Our Superpower

Michael J. Bobbitt, Executive Director

Advancement

Let’s clear something up right away.

When people hear the word “creativity,” they often go straight to “I can’t draw.” Or “I can’t dance.” Or worse—“You don’t want to hear me sing.” (And… they’re usually right. We did hear you at the office karaoke party, and let’s just say, Adele can sleep easy.)

But that’s the problem: we’ve confused talent and artistry with creativity, and they are not the same. Talent is a gift. Artistry is a craft. But creativity? Creativity is a skill—a tool—one that can be taught, strengthened, and, more importantly, applied to everything from economic policy to corporate strategy to social justice.

And right now, Massachusetts is sitting on a goldmine of creativity—and we’re barely scratching the surface.

Creativity = Strategy, Not Sparkles
As the Commonwealth charts its way to 2050, we need to stop treating creativity like some glittery garnish and start treating it like the strategic driver it is. It’s not just a feel-good buzzword, it’s the key to innovation, economic resilience, workforce development, and social cohesion.

Still skeptical? Let’s talk about data. And then I’ll say the quiet part out loud: participation in the arts—whether as a creator or consumer—should be considered essential professional development. Not optional. Not enriching. Not extra. Essential.

Numbers That Slap (Hard)

• $28.6B to MA economy: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), 2023 – Massachusetts creative sector output.
• $1 invested = $10 return: Americans for the Arts, Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 Report, 2023.
• 5 arts tickets are purchased for every 1 sports ticket: Mass Cultural Council, internal audience data analysis, 2023.
• 15,063 cultural organizations in MA: Mass Cultural Council Cultural Sector Analysis, 2024.
• 87% of executives say creativity is a competitive advantage: Forbes, Creativity in the Workplace Survey, 2023.
• Creativity + diversity = 19% more innovation: Boston Consulting Group, “How Diverse Leadership Teams Boost Innovation,” 2021.
• STEAM hybrid skills = 17% higher wages: National Science Foundation, STEM Workforce Report, 2023.
• Creativity-focused schools see 17% higher graduation rates: World Economic Forum, Future of Jobs Report, 2023.
• 65% of today’s kids will work in jobs that don’t exist yet: World Economic Forum, 2023.
• 30% increase in volunteerism and voting: National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), “Why Participation Matters,” 2022.
• 12% reduction in public spending (health/infrastructure): NEA & McKinsey & Co., “Arts and Community Vitality Report,” 2022–23.
• South Korea’s $12B K-Culture industry: Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA), Annual Report, 2023.
• UK’s 16% GDP bump from Creative Sector Tax Relief: Creative UK, Cultural Industries Policy Review, 2023.
• Cities with dense creative sectors = 10–15% faster GDP growth: Brookings Institution, “Creative Economies and Regional Growth,” 2023.

Art Is to Creativity What Sports Is to Teamwork
Let’s run this analogy one more time, just to be clear:

Art is to creativity, what sports is to teamwork.

No one expects to become a great collaborator by reading about basketball. You play. You practice. You work with a team. The same is true with creativity. The arts are where we practice creative thinking—through story, music, movement, design, and expression.

So, if you’re in Human Resources, management, education, tech, science, finance—whatever—going to the theater or a museum is not just culture, it’s training. Signing up for a dance class, participating in community theater, joining a writing workshop, these are professional development hours. Yes, I said it. Going to a jazz concert might make you a better problem-solver.

Want more agile teams? Send them to an improv show. Want better strategic planning? Try attending a gallery talk. Want better leadership? Study a Shakespearean tragedy—you’ll learn a lot about ego, conflict, and collapse.

As Edward Clapp from Harvard’s Project Zero said, “Creativity isn’t something you are, it’s something you can be.” To be creative you need to practice creativity. Those who are creative have gotten the opportunity to practice creativity, to become more creative contributors.

A Moment That Hit Me
During a panel I moderated recently, I posed a simple question to a room full of leaders from the business, civic, and cultural sectors:

“How many of you actively vet for creativity when hiring?”
Cue awkward silence. A few raised hands. Some nervous laughter.

“How many of you build creativity into your annual goals or performance reviews?”
More silence.

“How many of you get frustrated when employees struggle to solve problems, adapt, innovate, expand markets, or cut costs?”
Every hand shot up.

Boom. There it was. We want creativity, we demand it—but we don’t invest in it. We expect people to be innovative under pressure without giving them the space, tools, or training to be creative. It’s like asking someone to bake a cake without ingredients, a recipe, or an oven, and then blaming them when it flops.

A Commonwealth Bursting with Creative Wealth
Let’s be honest, Massachusetts has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to arts and culture. From world-class museums to homegrown hip hop. From Tanglewood to underground theater. From Berklee to backyard jazz. This state is bursting with creativity—and yet, we still treat it like frosting, not the cake.

We’ve got everything we need to lead the country in creative innovation. But right now, we’re underfunding it, undervaluing it, and underutilizing it.

Let’s Get to Work
It’s time to stop romanticizing creativity and start weaponizing it (peacefully, of course) for progress.

Here’s what that looks like:
For the Private Sector

• Embed creativity in job descriptions, hiring processes, and professional development.
• Fund artist residencies inside companies—yes, artists-in-residence in business.
• Offer paid time for employees to attend performances, exhibitions, and creative workshops, or as part of their employee benefits.
• Partner with creative firms to solve internal challenges—design thinking is your friend.
• Sponsor arts events not just for visibility, but for your team’s innovation engine.

For Government

• Make arts participation an approved category for professional development across state agencies.
• Expand creative sector grants and tax credits like other leading states.
• Integrate creativity into economic planning, education reform (STEAM), and climate action strategies.
• Pilot community transformation programs that center artists as civic leaders.

For the Creative Sector

• Build stronger alliances with business and tech sectors—we speak different languages, but we want the same future.
• Upskill in strategic thinking, storytelling for policy, and entrepreneurship.
• Embrace data to make your case. Anecdotes move hearts. Numbers move budgets.
• Advocate like your funding depends on it—because it does.
• Be loud, proud, and strategic—we’re not just cultural enrichment. We’re essential infrastructure.

Final Thought: Let’s Make MA the Creativity Capital of the World
Massachusetts has the talent, the brainpower, the institutions, and the cultural richness to lead the nation—heck, the world—in creative innovation. But only if we stop treating creativity like a side hustle and start treating it like the engine.

We can’t afford to keep leaving money, talent, and possibility on the table. Let’s build a Commonwealth where creativity isn’t just the soul of the state, it’s the strategy.

2050 is calling. And it’s asking:
Can you imagine something better?

Good. Now, go create it.

Advancement