Creativity is increasingly recognised as an essential higher order thinking skill for learning, life and work. It has an important role to play in learning and teaching, enabling Scotland's young people to develop as successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors.

The Creativity Portal has been developed as a partnership between Education Scotland and Creative Scotland in order to create a collaborative environment that encourages educators to place creativity at the heart of their practice. It is a one-stop shop to help teachers, community learning leaders, and educators find high quality creative partnerships, case studies of good practice, the latest creativity research, online teaching resources, local creative learning contacts such as the Creative Learning Networks and direct links to the best Glow tools (Scotland’s schools intranet).

A directory of Creative Partners makes it simple for educators to make contact with creative organisations across Scotland in order to enrich young people’s learning experiences, and the Creativity Newsfeeds allow educators to receive up to the minute news and offers of creative learning opportunities from the Creative Partners.

You can explore the Creativity Portal at creativityportal.org.uk.

(please note that some sections of the site require a GLOW login).

If you are an Artist, Arts Organisation or Creative Practitioner, you can join the Creative Directory by using our Creativity Measuring Tool.

How do I become a Creative Partner on the Creativity Portal?

Over 80 Scottish Government and Creative Scotland funded organisations have already joined the Directory. Phase 2 of the Creativity Portal is now extending an invitation to all organisations and individuals who offer creative learning experiences to engage with the project, subject to a successful completion of the quality assurance process explained below.

If you deliver creative learning experiences of any kind, the first step to being included is to have your work evaluated by the staff and young people you work with, using the online Creativity Measuring Tool (pictured right).

Creative learning can take many forms and creative partners can be from any discipline including scientists, bakers, philosophers, cartographers, engineers, inventors, designers, historians, journalists, comedians, entrepreneurs, dancers, musicians, dress makers, film makers, drama workers, outdoor play leaders, artists, the list is endless.

The Quality Assurance Process

Creative Scotland has led on the design of a quality assurance process, and any individual or organisation can apply to be assessed, and hopefully gain a place on the Creativity Portal.

Step 1. As a provider of creative learning experiences you can apply to have your work evaluated by learners, teachers, group leaders and community learning staff using the online Creativity Measuring Tool.

Step 2. Your creative learning experiences run as normal. At the end of each project, exhibition visit, performance or workshop you encourage the teachers, group leaders or community learning staff involved to use the online measuring tool to reflect upon the process. The added value being a reflective exercise for the learners - a valuable element in delivering Curriculum for Excellence. They can find the tool via the Creativity Portal and will need a Glow Login.

Step 3. The Creativity Measuring Tool passes feedback to Creative Scotland and Education Scotland. Once we receive enough complete responses that demonstrate above average scores, the system will recommend you to Creative Scotland for consideration.

Step 4. A panel of Creative Scotland/Education Scotland staff will then review a simple portfolio of evidence from you or your organisation.

Step 5. If successful you will be invited to join the Creativity Portal. Organisations (not individuals) also have the option of posting their offers of creative learning experiences to the Creativity Portal newsfeeds.

Are You Eligible?

In order to join the quality assurance process for the Creativity Portal you MUST meet the following minimum criteria:

• Have delivered creative activities to schools/groups for a minimum of 3 years.
• Have a child protection policy.
• Have up to date disclosure/PVG and be permitted to work with vulnerable groups (dated within the last 6 months).
• Have read and understood the conditions of the Creativity Measuring Tool.

If you are able to answer yes to each of these statements you may put yourself forward to be evaluated.

Sign up and allow your work to be evaluated using the tool ⇒

Any further enquiries should be directed to Stephen Bullock, Development Officer (Creativity Portal)
E: stephen.bullock@educationscotland.gov.uk

The online Creativity Measuring Tool has been designed by Screen Media - Scotland's award winning Best Digital Supplier (2010 – 12).

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