Artstorming

“If I could tell you what it meant, I wouldn’t have to dance it.”—Martha Graham
In theory, brainstorming should be a great way for groups to arrive at an idea that is better than an idea that an individual could have come up with alone. The only problem: brainstorms often don’t actually do that. In a big group the ideas of a few people who feel confident enough to share their half-baked musings with everyone tend to drown out the rest. Yale researchers actually found that brainstorming can reduce a group’s creativity. So when collectively designing something, instead of brainstorming, try artstorming! “Artstorming” invites participants to jump directly into the unmediated experience of creation, engaging the full spectrum of our creative intelligence. Better ideas, and often amazing creations, result.

When artstorming, instead of a blank wall where people write up ideas from the group, everyone stands up and starts improvising together with all the tools at hand. Instead of theorizing about what would look or sound good, they try it out in the laboratory of the group. It starts with physical movement (proven to enhance creative output), then some form of improvisation (word association, or improv theater games) which prepare the brain to take risks.

Artstorming is really useful because it:

• Makes space for multiple intelligences and fluencies: Artstorming creates space for the spatially, kinesthetically and musically gifted folks, who might be alienated from a verbal brainstorm.
• Invites people’s full selves to be present: By engaging the full spectrum of our creative intelligence, artstorming taps into parts of ourselves that might be snoozing most of the time, and invites them into the room. They will be sorely needed in an arts action.
• Supports creativity: In an artstorm, people’s honest expression of the feelings and ideas that brought the group together in the first place are safe to come out and play, so more expression happens.
• Is counter-hegemonic: That’s right. Hakim Bey asserts that through the industrial revolution we have become increasingly alienated from our direct experiences with each other and with our art. Artstorming is an opportunity to reconnect ourselves, our art, and each other.

To design an arts based action using an art storm, begin with the simple question, “What art could we use to effectively tell X message to Y audience to achieve Z result?” (X,Y and Z are figured out prior). Use a brainstorm (not all brainstorms are bad) to list all of the different art media possible, including both visual and performance arts. Next, break up the room into groups that will artstorm using one to three media of their choice to develop their message. After ten minutes, have each group report back and give each other feedback so each can arrive at a focus for the next stage. At this time you can also allow people to switch groups if they’d like. Now the real artstorm begins, focusing on a single idea from the first round with a group of people who all want to make it happen. Invite each person to take a turn experimenting, with minimal verbal feedback. Eventually, groups will hit on an idea that works and morph into a group-led process of artistic co-creation.

Potential pitfalls: Some people may find an artstorm a truly terrifying experience. Don’t force people to do it or assume everyone in the room is comfortable working this way. Ask at the beginning. For those who declare a great discomfort with spontaneous creative work, give them a different role, say, offering verbal feedback to ensure that the groups are staying on-message.