Creativity in its various forms is increasingly important in addressing the multiple challenges faced by society.

Rising mental health concerns, an ageing population and recurrent health crisis are conditions that can be relieved through engagement with the arts. Creativity is also necessary to face the challenges imposed by fast technological changes, so that we can learn new ways of working with and shaping progress, rather than fearing its effect, particularly on the world of work. The creative sector is one of the most profitable and fast growing in the UK economy, playing an important role for the country’s economic performance.

Despite this relevance, political and economic debates often focus on the development of STEM skills, relegating creative skills to second place. In this symposium we challenge this view by discussing the different roles that creativity plays in society. The multidisciplinary approach of the symposium emphasises the importance of different disciplines talking to each other to foster the development of new ideas and contribute to a better understanding of creative processes.