Creative Oklahoma’s Impact on Oklahoma
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2006 - 2018
Creative Oklahoma has been instrumental in advancing the growth of creative ideas and their implementation in Oklahoma over the last ten years with these accomplishments:
National Creativity Network
Developed and implemented the first statewide initiative in the nation to catalyze creativity and innovation in education, commerce, and culture sectors, and initiated the development of the National Creativity Network with the leadership of international creativity expert, Sir Ken Robinson, providing national and international visibility for Oklahoma as a hub of innovation in the US.
Creativity World Forums and State of Creativity Forums
Organized and hosted two international Creativity World Forums in Oklahoma and three statewide State of Creativity Forums bringing over 10,000 individuals from 40 states and 18 countries to Oklahoma to see and experience Oklahoma’s centers of innovation through statewide tours, workshops, and exhibitions.
District of Creativity in North America
Helped Oklahoma receive recognition as the only official District of Creativity in North America, with inclusion in the 14-region international Districts of Creativity Network, and serve as Oklahoma’s coordinator of active participation in the network connecting Oklahoma with creative industry leaders around the world through site visits, innovation tours, exchanges and internship programs.
Creativity Incubator
Incubated projects that help educate about the importance of creative thinking and innovation such as Backstage Jazz, a statewide public radio program on jazz music and jazz history in Oklahoma; Pecha Kucha OKC an international program in cities across the world highlighting startups and great ideas through visual presentations at networking events; Engage, a new project-based learning program focusing on alternative energy projects for middle-school students in Norman; and Akera, a project-based extended learning program meshing science and literature in Edmond.
Producer - Recreating American & Reinventing Yourself
Produced two major films for national public television outlets, in partnership with OETA, featuring Oklahoma’s schools and creative leaders, Recreating America and ReInventing Yourself, that provided national visibility for exemplar education programs that advance creative thinking such as EduCare, Oklahoma A+ Schools and Odyssey of the Mind.
Oklahoma Creativity Ambassadors
Highlighted the national and international contributions of creative Oklahomans through the Oklahoma Creativity Ambassadors program since 2008 with 54 Oklahomans currently serving as Ambassadors for the state.
Oklahoma Creative Communities
Launched a two-year grassroots, community development model in eight Oklahoma communities, the Oklahoma Creative Communities program, matching cSchool experts with community leaders to develop and advance citizen ideas to improve the health and well being of each community.
Commerce &
Entrepreneurial Ecosystems
Oklahoma Innovation Series
Organized and hosted several workshops and lecture programs, including the newly launched Oklahoma Innovation Series, featuring national and statewide business leaders sharing their experiences and knowledge about advancing innovation in business.
Seed Funding $350k
Distributed over $350,000 to students, entrepreneurs, schools, and communities through the State of Creativity Awards Program, including Love’s Creative SPARKS!, providing seed funds for implementation of their ideas.
Creativity Incubator
Incubated projects that help educate about the importance of creative thinking and innovation such as Backstage Jazz, a statewide public radio program on jazz music and jazz history in Oklahoma; Pecha Kucha OKC, an international program in cities across the world highlighting startups and great ideas through visual presentations at networking events; Engage, a new project-based learning program focusing on alternative energy projects for middle-school students in Norman; and Akera, a project-based extended learning program meshing science and literature in Edmond.
Developed Oklahoma Innovation Index
Developed the Oklahoma Innovation Index, as a measurement tool for classroom teachers to aid in the growth of creativity and innovation in Oklahoma’s K-12 classrooms with the pilot scheduled to begin in 2017.
Oklahoma Venture Mentoring Program
Launched the Oklahoma Venture Mentoring Program an outreach program of MIT that fills a void in the Oklahoma entrepreneurial ecosystem which will match up aspiring entrepreneurs with experienced, successful business leaders and teams.
Creativity in Education
Are we giving our students the opportunity to develop creativity—the ability to generate ideas— and then to critically evaluate potential?
Creativity Incubator
Incubated projects that help educate about the importance of creative thinking and innovation such as Backstage Jazz, a statewide public radio program on jazz music and jazz history in Oklahoma; Pecha Kucha OKC, an international program in cities across the world highlighting startups and great ideas through visual presentations at networking events; Engage, a new project-based learning program focusing on alternative energy projects for middle-school students in Norman; and Akera, a project-based extended learning program meshing science and literature in Edmond.
Oklahoma ArtScience Prize Program
Since 2011, hosted the Oklahoma ArtScience Prize program and sent five winning teams of Oklahoma high school students to Paris, France and Cambridge, Massachusetts to the ArtScience Innovation Institute to work with Harvard professor, Dr. David Edwards, and his students and international teams of scientists and designers on their ideas – with the 2015 team filing a patent for their project.
Partnership for 21st Century Learning Network
Served as organizer and catalyst getting Oklahoma into the Partnership for 21st Century Learning – a network of state and corporate leaders focused on advancing the four C’s of 21st century learning into schools: creativity, communication, critical thinking, and collaboration.
Catalyst for ACM@UCO
Served as catalyst for the startup of ACM@UCO in Oklahoma City connecting Oklahoma higher education leadership with commercial music leadership and British contemporary schools, to bring the Academy of Contemporary Music from Guildford, England to Oklahoma as an accredited four-year program at UCO.
FIRST Robotic Teams Support
Provided connections and support to bring the FIRST Robotics regional program to Oklahoma City from Houston increasing the number of Oklahoma participant teams exponentially.
FIRST Robotic Teams Support
Provided businesses and communities throughout the state with expert creativity and innovation facilitators and trainers through Creative Oklahoma’s cSchool (creativity school) and partnering with the Creative Education Foundation to provide out-of-state expertise to Oklahoma institutions.