annual torrance festival of ideas

Bonnie Crammond, PhD, Collaborative Research Thought Leader

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Bonnie Cramond, PhD, is one of the Collaborative’s highly-respected Research Thought Leaders, who help provide the strong research foundation upon which the Collaborative’s work rests. Dr. Cramond is Professor Emeritus in the University of Georgia Department of Educational Psychology  and former Director of the Torrance Center for Creativity and Talent Development.

Every spring the Torrance Center for Creativity and Talent Development at the University of Georgia hosts a free online festival of ideas related to creativity. The brainchild of Dr. Anna Abraham, the Director of the Torrance Center, this cultural event was envisioned as a way for “creative and innovative professionals across fields of human enterprise (to) present their new exciting projects and innovative ideas to the general public” (2021, Torrance Festival of Ideas pamphlet). 

The inaugural festival, held April 23-25, 2021, showcased 21 speakers presenting their expert views on themes relevant to creativity; imagination; visual art; digital art; music; humor; empathy; consciousness; well-being; mindfulness; childhood; aging; education; equality; identity; healing; health; crisis; curiosity; innovation; entrepreneurship; authenticity; political resistance;, and sociocultural change. The festival also highlighted local non-profit organizations in Athens, Georgia that serve the community in creative and crucial ways. 

In 2022 and 2023, the global three-day festival again featured speakers on a variety of topics, but in 2022, an invitation was added for people of all ages and backgrounds to submit their creative contributions, which were displayed on the website in the categories of literary, musical, and visual creativity. 

This year, the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Torrance Center, the theme was Creativity and Learning. There were 1,000 attendees from several countries around the world and 28 speakers. Scholars and educators steeped in creativity work will recognize many of the speakers and topics which address critical issues and practical implementations in creativity and learning.

Information about the festival, including descriptions of sessions and speakers, as well as links to recorded sessions and other resources, can be found at the Torrance Festival of Ideas website. The pamphlets from each year are linked and contain information about each year’s event. The 2022 pamphlet, which is linked on the festival website, includes the creative products submitted. A selected number of the 2023 talks can be viewed online. The recordings of all the 2024 sessions can be accessed via the festival website where they will remain for a couple of months before they are moved to the UGA College of Education YouTube channel. Links to the talks on YouTube will also be made accessible via the Torrance Festival of Ideas webpage. 

Anyone can register for the festival for free, but registrations are limited. So, mark your calendars to look for the Torrance Festival of Ideas next spring. You are sure to learn and be reinvigorated through interaction with imaginative thinkers and creative practitioners as they share their visions and ideas in relatable ways.