In my eyes, the Segovia Creativity Center isn’t just a rustic building near a nice park, it is a living, breathing vessel for self-actualisation, exploration and expression. Hopefully, for one occasion or another (if you ever lived in Segovia), you stopped by the Creativity Centre. Either way, you’re probably aware of the common perception that it’s “too far” or people are “too lazy to walk”. And this narrative is no secret. You may or may not have heard of the Creativity Center’s initiative, the “Walk the Distance” campaign, aiming to encourage engagement despite its location. If we’re being honest with ourselves, in a small city like Segovia, you could honestly probably benefit from a walk in a different direction every now and then. Despite its perceived remoteness and the widespread common reluctance to travel there, the Creativity Day at the Center on the 20th of March demonstrated its ability to facilitate self-expression and provide a much needed change of scene.
There were a whole range of events, not just throughout the week but on the 20th itself. From a Korean skincare bar to mural paintings to dance workshops, nobody was left unaccounted for. One event that shaped my whole day was the open mic led by the Creative Writing Club and the Music Club. We had a wide range of presentations from freestyle expressions to excerpts from short stories. There were even two stand-up comedians who put on a show. The diversity of these pieces was undeniable and there was a very receptive energy in the room that allowed everyone to really open themselves up to what each presenter had to share. That energy was really productive and I felt like it made space for people who felt like they wanted to share something to do so. The sole gesture of going up there to share your ideas in a space like that is almost an art form. It really is less of a question of how objectively refined or articulated your thoughts are and more of a statement of conviction that this matters to you and you want people to know about it, and it is not easy to go up there and share anything – anyone would agree. There was a good balance of intentional vulnerability from people who shared and light-hearted humor to keep everybody in good spirits and that made for a great experience. The fact that open mic ran longer than intended because there were several people who still wanted to participate is a testament to how enticing it all was.
The theme for this year was fragility. I think it’s really cool because fragility can be perceived in so many different ways. For sure I would say that if something can be easily destroyed people are more wary of it and maybe more skeptical of its value, but in the creative setting I think fragility has its appeal because it means it is penetrable, that it can be impacted and touched by things around it, a very human experience. The fantastic thing about creativity day is that you create the creative space you want to see. This year especially they repainted all of the walls white meaning that the creativity Center was our canvas. There is a concept in psychology called the endowment effect which is the tendency to value an object more when you own it than when you do not.
A dynamic and welcoming space like this doesn’t come overnight and it definitely doesn’t happen by accident. IE students and staff are putting in effort every single day to make the Creativity Center a space in which people can thrive. This whole initiative of ‘walking the distance’ is bigger than a slogan; it’s a mindset. It acknowledges that while the distance seems off-putting, it’s actually a large part of what makes the experience. That achievable ‘journey’ from campus to creativity can be a deliberate choice, being a step towards creativity and connection. Because truthfully, genuine engagement actually does ask a little extra effort of you, and that effort is always rewarded at the Creativity Center. While there may not be silver jewelry DIY sessions or Korean skincare workshops every week at the Creativity Center, one thing is true: the Creativity Center is your space just as much as anyone else’s, and because of this, you can make it exactly what you want it to be.
Images throughout the article including the featured image is provided by @fotografoevento and @ie.creativitycenter on Instagram
