What do a wildlife foundation, a fashion line, and a medicinal culinary company have in common? Yrmis Barroeta didn’t wait for permission, she chased problems worth solving. This talk delivers five realizations that will change what you think you need to be creative and show you that you already have it.

We treat creativity like a personal virtue or professional bonus—when in truth, it’s a public necessity. In an era of interconnected and complex crises, creativity isn’t a luxury or a soft skill—it’s essential architecture. It’s how we generate meaning, restore trust, and build systems that last. Drawing on a decade of cross-sector engagement—from Nairobi to New York, the Arctic to the Amazon—Abby Lehman explores how creativity turns into capital: not just ideas, but enduring structures. She reveals how narratives shape what (and who) gets resourced, remembered, and replicated.

Sketch and Release is a series of timed drawing games structured to help you get out of your head and into your flow. With the constraints of time, materials and playful prompting, creativity can flourish. A blank sketchbook can be an intimidating thing, especially if you identify as a creative person. This is a stress free opportunity to discover something new.

What if the impulse to create art and the drive to give generously spring from the same human source? Join professional ballet dancer turned philanthropy advisor Fernando Martin-Gullans as he explores how the creative urge and the generous impulse are twin expressions of our deepest desire to contribute meaning to the world.

Excavating the play journey of an artist trapped in a social scientists mind. Learn all the ways I used to escape while pulling the play triggers, riding the ripple of continuous extraneous thoughts and constantly engaging the desire to dance – or at least act – if only in my responses.

AI can remix, regenerate, and recombine ideas at lightning speed—but does that make it creative? In this talk, we explore the myths and realities of machine imagination, and ask what truly separates human creativity from algorithmic output.

Uncover what it truly means to live with purpose, shed outside expectations, and align with what truly fulfils you. Shani will help you discover your calling, embrace your power, and create lasting fulfilment.

How do you choose one creative project over another to potentially dedicate years of your life to? Life is short, subjects are many! There are endless exciting stories to explore, each one an adventure that may take you into new found territory and transform the world around you as you go. In this talk, we’ll explore ways to make this important selection that may shape your future self at the end of a many-year journey.

What if the reason you’re stuck isn’t because you’ve lost your creativity—but because you’ve lost your connection? If you’re a creative, visionary, or leader who’s been feeling drained, uninspired, or unclear—even while working on projects you deeply care about—this talk is for you. You’ll learn how to reconnect with your creative power not by doing more, but by aligning more deeply with your body, your presence, and your internal wisdom.

In this inspiring and intimate keynote, Allié McGuire—storyteller, speaker, and co-founder of AwareNow—shares how creativity has been her constant companion in the face of adversity. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Allié turned her own life’s challenges into a catalyst for cause-fueled storytelling through AwareNow Magazine, a global media platform, and the upcoming documentary Because I Can. In this talk, she shares not only what drives her to create, but how she turns hardship into impact—one story, one step, and one act of creative courage at a time. It’s not just about what we can do—it’s about doing it because we can.

Insights from 50+ years of crafting creative life experiences and authentic connections