When I had the opportunity to co-design and lead the development of the HundrED Spotlight on Creativity with The LEGO Foundation, our goal was clear: to elevate creativity as a core, indispensable part of every child’s learning journey. This work was deeply personal and professionally rewarding—bringing together global innovations, school-wide models, and practical insights that demonstrate how creativity can be nurtured, not just as an abstract ideal, but as a vital, everyday part of learning.
In a world that demands flexibility, imagination, and problem-solving, creativity isn’t a “nice-to-have”—it’s an essential competency. And yet, creativity in education remains under-supported, under-assessed, and under-prioritized. The Spotlight on Creativity report was created to shine a light on what’s working, and how we can do more to make creative learning central to education systems around the world.
Why Creativity? Why Now?
Creativity is not just about artistic expression—it’s about thinking critically, solving problems, and imagining better futures. These are skills every young person needs to thrive in a complex, rapidly changing world.
Backed by The LEGO Foundation’s mission to promote learning through play, the report reflects the belief that creativity can—and should—be cultivated across subjects and cultures. The Spotlight features 20 leading innovations that are successfully integrating creativity into formal and non-formal education, reaching learners from a wide range of backgrounds and contexts.
What We Found
Among the innovations highlighted is The Walking Curriculum in Canada—an initiative that encourages children to connect with their local environment through meaningful, reflective walks. It’s one of many powerful examples showing that creativity doesn’t need to be complex or tech-heavy; it needs to be intentional.
Beyond individual programs, we also profiled three whole-school models, demonstrating how creativity can be embedded at a systems level. These schools show what’s possible when creativity is not confined to a subject or project—but seen as foundational to how we teach, learn, and grow.
What Needs to Happen Next
The report offers several key recommendations to scale creativity in education:
• Define creativity clearly so that educators, schools, and systems can plan and assess it.
• Support teachers with training, tools, and space to try creative approaches.
• Use playful learning strategies to embed creativity across subjects.
• Rethink assessment so it values not just outcomes, but the creative process.
• Prioritise creativity systemically to counter the global “creativity crisis” affecting learners of all ages.
A Call to Action
As someone who has worked across sectors to drive social impact through innovation, I believe creativity is one of the most important skills we can nurture in young people today.
Tech, Education, Impact & Ethics 
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