That is why Claire started the Creativity Found memberships, to connect the creatively curious with the creativity confident. We asked her more about what the community offers to members – as well as how the community helps Claire as well…

What does membership offer your community?

I run two memberships. One to help anyone that is creatively curious get past whatever is holding them back and give them access to new creative activities and experiences to try. The other supports and promotes businesses that teach creative activities or sell kits and supplies. All members have access to monthly online meetups, an online members’ pack with arts and crafts and business resources, a private chat group, money-saving discounts for arts and crafts events and activities, and opportunities to meet other members in real life to go to arts events that their family or other friends might not be so keen on going to. Business members get a dedicated page on the Creativity Found website explaining how they can help you get creative, with links to their own websites and social media accounts, plus opportunities for podcast appearances and adverts.

How did you realise there was a need for this more in-depth membership?

The podcast episodes were getting such a good response that I wanted to take that inspirational aspect further and share opportunities for listeners to follow in the footsteps of my guests and access their own ‘creativity found’. Like many of my guests, I am self-employed, and I understand how isolating that can be. The small business owners that join the Create a Scene membership are in the same boat, and I knew I wanted them to be connecting with each other and sharing their highs and lows. You tend to think you are alone in a particular predicament, but usually you’re not, and someone else who has been there may be able to help you, or even just chatting through the situation can lighten the load. I wanted to connect creative business owners with each other and with more customers, and connect those looking for creativity with small businesses that I trust and can recommend.

What’s been the reaction from people who have signed up as members?

Supportive. It’s a great community and now each member knows that other members are their cheerleaders, as well as me of course. There have also been some collaborations on events, which I love.

One thing creators can find difficult is deciding on their ‘value’ in literal terms. Can you give us an idea of how you went about valuing yourself and deciding on price bands?

I pragmatically thought about what I would be willing to pay for the benefits that the membership offers. I also considered what I already pay for groups that I am a member of and get value from. As the Creativity Found community widens, the value that it already offers will organically grow, with no extra cost to the member.

What does the membership give to you as the leader?

A load of new friends, for starters. An insight into all the opportunities there are out there, and the wealth of disciplines for you to try. It turns out that I am a bit of a people person, and a good networker, and there is nothing I like more than being able to connect people with others that can help them, or they just might love to have as a friend.

Is there anything you haven’t done with the Creativity Found community that you would like to do in the future?

A big in-person meetup. That won’t be easy, since we have members from Scotland to Brighton, but I would love to see all members in a big room, showing off their creative talents and teaching others all about their art or craft.

If you are looking for arts and crafts classes, courses, kits or supplies; memberships to support you on your first steps to creativity or help you grow your creative business; or an inspirational podcast telling the stories of adults who have found their creativity as grown- ups, you can find all of this – and more – at creativityfound.co.uk

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In an upcoming 4-episode series around sustainable food systems, Narratives of Purpose are featuring founders based in Switzerland, the US and the UK. From fighting food waste to regenerative agriculture via community networks built around food, it is amplifying the impactful work they carry out with their organisations.

Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

My name is Claire, I live in Switzerland, and I spent the first decade of my life in east Africa. I mention my African heritage and the fact that I evolved in multicultural, international environments because it has shaped my perspective on life. Formally speaking, I am a biologist with fourteen years’ experience in the life sciences industry as Medical Affairs expert.

Besides being an independent podcast creator, I recently started my freelance communications and advisory business. I am fascinated by individuals, the potential every single person possesses to flourish and thrive as well as the interconnection between all human beings. I have this sense of belief in people and our multitude of untapped abilities, which is basically the foundation of my podcast – Narratives of Purpose. I want to inspire people to act upon social issues. So, I share unique stories of impact through conversations with global changemakers. These are thought-provoking, inspiring conversations that address meaningful and complex topics. And if you listen carefully to all these journeys, it all starts the same way, it starts with the individual. That’s the angle I take with my podcast: I show that anybody can create positive impact around them, starting by themselves.

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

I began listening to podcasts with my first ever iPod touch in 2009. Back in those days, I was mostly catching up on my favourite radio shows which I wasn’t always able to listen to live, but I can’t quite recall a particular podcast. However, listening to the first season of Serial (it must have been in 2014) was a defining moment because it made me realise that podcasts could be much more than a complement to radio, and they would open the space to more creators.

Why did you decide to start podcasting in the first place?

I wanted to explore the medium and find out what opportunities it would create when I share my personal view of the world. In fact, I wanted to use my voice in a meaningful way by showcasing the impactful stories I knew or heard about. Podcasting turns out to be a powerful storytelling tool in terms of building bridges and sparking conversations. This really supports my goal of amplifying social impact. Also, audio is an integral part of my life, whether it’s radio or podcasts not a day goes by without me listening to one of them. So, why not become part of the digital audio space as well, and even contribute to shape it.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

I scrolled through my podcast library the other day, and I noticed that over half of the shows I subscribed to are from women podcasters. I had not appreciated how much my inspiration comes from podcasts created by women. These are my top picks:

Les Transformateurs by Lowpital, a women-led healthcare design thinking agency is a French podcast that features individuals transforming the health system.

The stories are amazing. Creativity Found by Claire Waite Brown is great because it shows the importance of including creative practices in our everyday lives as adults.

Our Body Politic by Farai Chideya is my go-to podcast for in-depth reporting on how Black women and women of colour both experience and impact major political events.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

That is a tough question. If I must narrow it down to a single person, then it will be Bryan Stevenson the founder and Executive Director of Equal Justice Initiative. His TED talk is on my top 2 list, I recommend watching it. He has dedicated his career to helping the poor, the incarcerated, and the condemned. For me, the fact that such work is needed highlights the lack of inclusivity in the way institutions that govern the world we live in were designed.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as a podcaster?

Transforming your ideas into reality may be a challenging process, but it will bring you places you are meant to be in, and it will connect you with people who will support you greatly on your journey – the power of the collective. So, collaboration instead of competition is the way forward in my opinion. As an independent podcaster, benefiting from podcasting communities together with impact-driven networks I became part of has been a testament to that.

Which episode would you say is the perfect introduction to your podcast?

Episode 46, ‘On Harnessing Tech Innovation to Improve Healthcare – A Conversation with Dr. Ernest Darkoh & Dr. John Sargent’. It is the quintessential combination of what I have been showcasing on the podcast. I constantly strive to bring international and multicultural perspectives, to highlight social entrepreneurship, to focus on healthcare and innovation, also to emphasise self-discovery and self-development. Even though this episode does not address gender equality, another focus topic of my podcast with education and sustainability, it pretty much covers all the other criteria so it’s definitely a great place to start.

Where can the Pod Bible readers find out more about you?

I am present and active on LinkedIn.

Listen to Narratives of Purpose on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

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Now with more than sixty episodes in the back-catalogue, Claire has found success as a solo podcaster, with nominations for the International Women’s Podcast Awards and recently with features on the Amazon Music app. We caught up with Claire to ask her all about it…

Creativity Found has been listed as 10 Inspiring Indies in a featured list on Amazon Music in the US – how do you feel?

Excited that people who may not have otherwise come across the podcast might now find it, and also proud that some clever people at Amazon think its worthy of being highlighted and promoted this way. I know its worthy, but it’s always nice to know someone else thinks so too.

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

Bear Brook from New Hampshire Public Radio. It’s a true crime series. I still listen to a lot of true crime, shows about cults, and podcasts about podcasts and podcasting.

Why did you decide to start podcasting in the first place?

Because I realized I could. I accidently went on an online workshop about using Anchor, which I don’t use, that showed me that I could audio edit and produce something good. I had been speaking to people in general about returning to an artistic endeavour after time away for whatever reason, and thought it was an interesting topic to explore. And it is! And other people want to hear about it too, so two years down the line and I am booking guests six months in advance.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

I am inspired by my new podcast buddies that I have met since starting, in particular all the indies doing absolutely everything themselves, as I do. Podcasts with similar themes to Creativity Found are More Than Work by Rabiah Coon and The Second Chapter by Kristin Duffy. Clare Murigande’s Narratives of Purpose is really interesting, and Zoe Langley-Wathen’s Head Right Out is about outdoor adventuring, which is NOT something I do but great to hear how other people do it. I was very impressed with the production of Conning the Con by Sarah Ferris. She has done more shows now but for a first series it was very skilful.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

All of my guests so far are dreams, and I love them all equally! I did ask Johnny Vegas to come on. He talked on Grayson’s Art Club about using Naomi Woolf’s book The Beauty Myth as influence for his final show at uni, and I used it for my dissertation. I was at a crime writer’s event recently and asked author Clare Macintosh and the rest of the panel a question – I was very nervous. I managed to make it relevant to the podcast and asked Clare if she’d like to be a guest – she used to be a police officer. That one may actually happen, which is exciting.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as a podcaster?

That I like people! I always thought I was a bit of a lone bird, but I love meeting new people and having a good chat.

Which episode would you say is the perfect introduction to your podcast?

My guests cover all disciplines of the arts, so you might choose to hear from a photographer if photography is something you’re interested in, for example. There’s also an element of the emotions of an episode. If you are in the mood for something touching and emotional, I would recommend the episodes with Lou Hamilton, Leanne Tibiatowski, Andrea Carter Brown or Anna Lovind. For something more light-hearted, I’d suggest Maxyne Ryan, Tara L Lacey or Rabiah Coon.

Listen to Creativity Found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and other popular podcast apps. 

The post Creativity Found: Stories of new-found artistic experiences appeared first on POD BIBLE.

The Acast Moment of Comedy Gold, presented by founder of Soul Sutras and host of the Masala Podcast, Sangeeta Pillai

Winner: Who Run The World with Rhea Chedid and Marilyn Zakhour

Runner Up: The Voiceover Social with Nic Redman and Leah Marks

The Blubrry Moment of Raw Emotion, presented by podcaster and BBC Radio 1Xtra producer Roshan Roberts

Winner: Creativity Found with Claire Waite Brown

Runner Up: Gravity with Lucy Kalanithi

The Moment of Cliff-Hanger Drama, presented by actor, podcaster and documentary-maker Elizabeth Healey.

Winner: Do You Know Mordechai? with Kathleen Goldhar

Runner Up: Conning The Con by Sarah Ferris and Emma Ferris

Sara Tye’s Moment of Entrepreneurial Inspiration, presented by Sara Tye

Winner: The REALWORK Podcast with Fleur Emery

Runner Up: Up With The Lark with Calandre Orton

The Moment of Behind-the-Scenes Brilliance, presented by Naomi Mellor, founder of The Skylark Collective

Winner: Seven Truths with Jolene Banning and Debbie Pacheco

Runner Up: Hustled: When Your Boss Is An App for Laura Regehr

Moment of Badass Business Advice, presented by Anna Jones, founder of Allbright

Winner: Creative Breakthrough with Shereen Kassam

Runner Up: Modern Mentor with Rachel Cooke and Michelle Margulis

The Captivate FM Moment of Touching Honesty, presented by podcaster and presenter Pips Taylor.

Winner: Diary, She Wrote with Liz Beardsell

Runner Up: Fully Amplified from Futures Theatre

The Shure Award for Changing the World One Moment At A Time, presented by Marco Marini from Shure.

Winner: Shelter In Place Podcast, with Laura Joyce Davis and the Kasama Collective

Runner Up: Ochenta Stories, from Ochenta Studios

We look forward to next year!

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