Out of fresh ideas? These inspiring talks offer the kick-in-the-pants you need to unleash your creative spirit.

Easy, straightforward techniques to jumpstart innovative thinking and surface new, brilliant ideas.

Fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi spins through a dizzying array of inspirations -- from '50s pinups to a fleeting glimpse of a woman on the street who makes him shout "Stop the cab!" Inside this rambling talk are real clues to living a happy, creative life.

In a hopeful talk followed by an empowering performance, musician and TED Fellow Muthoni Drummer Queen shares how industries like music, film and fashion provide a platform for Africans to broadcast their rich and diverse talents -- and explains how the shared experience of creativity can replace attitudes of exclusionism and othering with accep...

Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining and profoundly moving case for creating an education system that nurtures (rather than undermines) creativity.

Lawrence Lessig, the Net’s most celebrated lawyer, cites John Philip Sousa, celestial copyrights and the "ASCAP cartel" in his argument for reviving our creative culture.

Radio host Julie Burstein talks with creative people for a living -- and shares four lessons about how to create in the face of challenge, self-doubt and loss. Hear insights from filmmaker Mira Nair, writer Richard Ford, sculptor Richard Serra and photographer Joel Meyerowitz.

Creativity has never been more essential to competitiveness in the business world, but the critical approach to practical originality in organizations is often lacking. Alan Iny offers a key to think outside the box: apply doubt to the very models and philosophies that make up the box itself.

Novelist Amy Tan digs deep into the creative process, looking for hints of how hers evolved.

Welcome to the new frontier in art and creativity -- and it's not human.

Where do extraordinary ideas come from? Explore these talks from Canada that celebrate the boundless inspiration, innovation and creativity that blossom in a culture as open as its landscape. (Curated in partnership with Destination Canada)

How being bored can lead to new possibilities, better ideas and even an extra shot of creativity.

ReThinking with Adam Grant will.i.am on AI – and the future of creativity March 12, 2024 [00:00:00] Adam Grant: Hey everyone, it's Adam Grant. Welcome back to ReThinking, my podcast on the science of what makes us tick with the TED Audio Collective. I'm an organizational psychologist and I'm taking you inside the minds of fascinating people to ...

Play invites creativity and collaboration, and can inspire you to think out of the box! Take a recess and learn about the benefits of connecting with your inner-child.

How does one find authentic creativity? In his last talk before passing away, Malcolm McLaren tells remarkable stories from his own life, from failing school to managing the Sex Pistols. He argues that we're living in a karaoke culture, with false promises of instant success, and that messiness and failure are the key to true learning.

At the 2008 Serious Play conference, designer Tim Brown talks about the powerful relationship between creative thinking and play -- with many examples you can try at home (and one that maybe you shouldn't).

Filmmaker Jon M. Chu has enjoyed an incredible run of success, directing films like "Crazy Rich Asians," "In the Heights" and the highly anticipated adaptation of "Wicked" in theaters soon. But he wasn't always sure he'd make it big. In a wide-ranging conversation, Chu gives his thoughts on nurturing creativity, embracing failure and finding ins...

In this whimsical talk and performance, musician and comedian Elle Cordova ponders what happened before the Big Bang. She’s then joined by guitarist Toni Lindgren for the original song “Carl Sagan,” exploring social media, human connection and how we’re all just reaching out like stars in the night sky.

Yes, you need to take breaks at work. Not only is resting good for your brain — it might even make you more creative. Here are consultant Alex Soojung-Kim Pang's four tips to help you step away and return to your job with more energy to get things done.

What's the secret to unlocking the creativity hidden inside your daily work, and giving every great idea a chance? Harvard professor Linda Hill, co-author of "Collective Genius," has studied some of the world's most creative companies to come up with a set of tools and tactics to keep great ideas flowing -- from everyone in the company, not just...

Do schools kill creativity? Back in 2006, Sir Ken Robinson posed this question to the TED audience -- and boy, did it touch a nerve. More than fifty million views and a decade later, head of TED Chris Anderson sits down with Sir Ken to dig into the changes and progress that have been made, and to see if the answer now is any different. How are e...

Group brainstorming is usually where creativity goes to die. But at The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, they have it down to a science. Adam grant takes us behind the scenes in the writers' room to show how creative collaboration really works, and reveals what inspires people to share their best -- and worst -- ideas. This episode is brought to you...

The wildly diverse, thoughtful and hilarious world of fanfiction -- where writers reimagine favorite stories like "Harry Potter," "Pokémon," "My Little Pony" and more -- is ever-growing and becoming a vital social and learning tool. Author, professor and fanfiction writer Cecilia Aragon has observed how this incredible outlet for creativity enco...

In this hilarious talk, comedian and director Taika Waititi considers the factors that drive an artist to make work, arguing that creative work needs to be fueled (to some degree) by fun -- and why a little humor can go a long way.

How can you find strength during life's most difficult moments? Author Suleika Jaouad's experience detailed in the documentary "American Symphony," an intimate portrait of her life as she grapples with illness, is a testament to finding a pathway to healing through artistic expression. In this sweeping conversation with TED's Susan Zimmerman, Ja...

People have been grappling with the question of artificial creativity -- alongside the question of artificial intelligence -- for over 170 years. For instance, could we program machines to create high quality original music? And if we do, is it the machine or the programmer that exhibits creativity? Gil Weinberg investigates this creative conund...

Tapping into the transformational power of costume, concept artist Machine Dazzle takes us on a maximalist journey through art, history and fashion. From a jaw-droppingly intricate '60s bouffant ensemble to a 24-hour show of extravagant outfits, Dazzle shares pieces that channel unrealized dreams, urging us all to fully embrace the beautiful com...

How to Be a Better Human ALOK is microdosing creativity and rejecting norms April 17, 2023 [00:00:00] Chris Duffy: You are listening to How to Be a Better Human. I'm your host, Chris Duffy. Beauty is one of those words that I think many of us feel like we know when we see it, but also feel like doesn't apply to ourselves, or let me not speak f...

ALOK doesn't quite get the term multihyphenate — but how else to describe the internationally acclaimed author, poet, comedian and public speaker? From exploring belonging and the human condition, to fighting to degender the fashion and beauty industries, ALOK is tapping into their creativity constantly. Today, they share their approach to the c...

What makes us create and innovate? Here, wildly creative thinkers share ideas and insights into what kindles genius.