Bloomerangas Podcast

Can creativity be taught?

Can creativity be taught? This is the question we explored in the newest episode of Bloomerangas with Ruta Valušytė [https://www.linkedin.com/in/r%C5%ABta-valu%C5%A1yt%C4%97-b8580b27/], Head of the Design Centre at Kaunas University of Technology. Every person has the native ability to create. But like any muscle, creativity needs to be used, trained, and nurtured. If we stop using it, it fades. If we practise it, it becomes more natural and intuitive. What I found especially interesting in this conversation is that creativity does not necessarily need complete freedom. Very often, a blank canvas blocks people. What helps is a thoughtful structure: a clear task, a useful example, a safe environment, and enough freedom to experiment. Ruta describes this as a kind of creative playground: a space where people can explore, fail, try again, and slowly build confidence in their own creative process. Surely, this resonates with us very much as we create creativity playgrounds [https://bloomerangas.com/creativity-playgrounds/] for offices and spaces for exactly this purpose. We also spoke about AI. AI can be a fantastic tool, but it is still a tool. Ruta compared it to a pencil: if you know what you want to draw, it can help you. But it cannot replace your intention, your judgement, or your imagination. This feels especially important now, when creativity and innovation are so often discussed through the lens of speed and productivity. AI can generate quickly, but true innovation still requires us to question the status quo, define the right challenge, and imagine something that does not yet exist. In the episode, we also talk about: * how universities can nurture creativity * why struggle is part of the creative process * why structure and play need each other * how design education can support a more sustainable future * what it means to design beyond only human users * why curiosity is still one of the most important creative skills One of the strongest ideas from the conversation is that a creative environment is not only about tools, studios, or technology. It is about culture. It is about the values, behaviours, and ways of thinking that make people brave enough to explore something unknown. I hope you will enjoy this talk as much as I did. Read the full summary here [https://bloomerangas.com/blog/can-creativity-be-taught/]. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit creativity.bloomerangas.com/subscribe [https://creativity.bloomerangas.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

How to protect your focus, creativity, and wellbeing in a digital world

In our latest Bloomerangas Podcast [https://bloomerangas.com/blog] episode, I speak with Lina Žemaitytė-Kirkman [https://www.linkedin.com/in/linazemaitytekirkman/], Head of Rockit (a Startup and Innovation Centre) about something many of us are feeling right now: how hard it has become to stay focused, creative, and mentally clear in a world of constant digital input. We explore why digital overload affects more than productivity, how boredom and rest support creativity, and what simple habits can help us protect our attention in the age of AI. It’s a thoughtful and practical conversation for anyone who wants to feel less scattered and create with more clarity. Watch the episode below, listen on substack/spotify/Apple Podcasts or read the summary on our blog [https://bloomerangas.com/blog/how-to-protect-your-focus-and-creativity-in-a-digital-world/]. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit creativity.bloomerangas.com/subscribe [https://creativity.bloomerangas.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Andra Bagdonaitė on Early-Stage Investment for Startups

In this episode, we speak with Andra Bagdonaitė, venture capital investor and Partner at FIRSTPICK — a high-speed VC fund and accelerator backing ambitious early-stage startups across the Baltic region (Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia). Andra shares insights from her experience investing at the pre-seed and seed stages, supporting founders as they build and scale technology-driven companies. Before joining FIRSTPICK, she worked in early-stage investment and accelerator roles at Startup Wise Guys, one of Europe’s leading startup accelerators, where she helped guide emerging startups through growth and fundraising. Tune in to learn more about early-stage investing, what investors look for in founders, and how startups in the Baltic region are building globally competitive companies. 👀 Read the article on our website: https://bloomerangas.com/blog/andra-bagdonaite-on-early-stage-investment-for-startups/ [https://bloomerangas.com/blog/andra-bagdonaite-on-early-stage-investment-for-startups/] This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit creativity.bloomerangas.com/subscribe [https://creativity.bloomerangas.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Jessica Dance on Building a Sustainable Creative Business

Jessica Dance is a UK-based artist, designer, and creative coach who has worked with brands including Vogue, Nike, Barbie, British Airways and Google. After years in the creative industry, she trained as a coach following a period of burnout, combining art, business and psychology to support creative entrepreneurs in building lives and businesses that are joyful, impactful and financially sustainable. In this talk, Jessica shares what truly creates sustainable success for creatives: regulating the nervous system, reshaping limiting beliefs, and building strategy from a place of safety rather than fear. 👀 Read the article on our website: https://bloomerangas.com/blog/jessica-dance-on-building-a-sustainable-creative-business [https://bloomerangas.com/blog/jessica-dance-on-building-a-sustainable-creative-business] This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit creativity.bloomerangas.com/subscribe [https://creativity.bloomerangas.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Emily Sharp on Activating Creativity Through Art Therapy

Emily Sharp is a licensed art therapist and psychotherapist who combines talk therapy with creative expression. From her early work in New York to her current online practice and international retreats, she explores how creativity can support resilience, self-discovery, and joy. In this talk, Emily reflects on her transition from clinical psychotherapy to art therapy, discusses the importance of creativity in mental health, and shares some of the tools and techniques she uses in her practice to activate creativity and creative flow. 👀 Read the article on our website: https://karalyte.com/emily-sharp-on-activating-creativity-through-art-therapy/ [https://karalyte.com/emily-sharp-on-activating-creativity-through-art-therapy/] 👥 For more inspiration:Join our Substack community at https://creativity.bloomerangas.com [https://creativity.bloomerangas.com] and subscribe to the @Bloomerangas YouTube channel. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit creativity.bloomerangas.com/subscribe [https://creativity.bloomerangas.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]