“This project has ended up looking nothing like a written plan would’ve looked. That stodgy plan would’ve tied our hands and not allowed for changes midstream. It would’ve died by committee.“ Deb Brown, small town advocate and community activator, tells the story of a community project taking off before planning could bring it down.

“This essay attempts to debunk a common myth: creating a better world requires hard work. It argues that the most effective way to change our world is through play. Not just any kind of play – profound play. As you are about to discover, the great tragedy in our culture is that we have lost sight of the enormous, creative, transformative power of play. We have trivialized it as something we outgrow as we transition from childhood into adulthood.” David Engwicht, CEO of Creative Communities International.

"My mother had taught me something important. There is no person who is not interesting – if you think that someone is not interesting, then that is your fault not theirs – every single person has a story." Lawyer and podcaster Steven Mee shares a personal and moving reflection on the power of stories and storytelling.

How can we utilise the space above our heads?

“In the day to day repetition of placing one brick on another it can be really hard to see what is being built and maintain the vision. Yet that is what will sustain you in the long run. If you can see a bigger picture then that will give purpose.” Lawyer and podcaster Steven Moe asks us what we’re building.

“We need to embrace vulnerability as the path to open up our creativity and through doing so truly put out new things into the world. Sure, there may be critics of what we produce. Sure, whatever it is may fail. But we need to be down in the arena. Be ready to show up before you are even ready to be on the stage. Grab the mic and fail wholeheartedly – always knowing you gave it your very best shot.” Lawyer and podcaster Steven Moe asks us to dare.

“Young people go to school to prepare themselves for the future. We teach them about the past and the present but nothing about the future. Why is this?” International NGO, Teach The Future, invites young people to shape a vision and a manifesto for their community. In some Dutch towns and cities, this manifesto becomes an official document being implemented in actual development plans. Erica Bol tells a story of inter-generational planning.

“We need to look again at the roads on which we had been travelling and ask if they are the right ones. One aspect of this might be looking at the role of boards to govern businesses. While we rightly talk about addressing imbalances when it comes to age, ethnicity and gender, what might happen if we also focused on divergent thinking that comes from having creatives involved?” Lawyer and podcaster Steven Moe explores the ways that creativity can play a new role in the stewardship of businesses.

A place appears to be lively and secure due to human presence. If we see people around us projecting good energy and vibes, finding comfort in a place, we, too, reflect that energy and find comfort. That’s basic human nature. But the point to ponder is what brings people out in place? What attracts them to a place? Azbah Ansari and Peacemakers Pakistani answer an essential question.

“When I studied acting we used to help our pals who had monologues; the help consisted in listening, really listening to the monologue, and believe me it helped! One of my best teachers surprised me by saying: “Very good work, Gianluca! It’s not easy to just listen but you did it perfectly!” Surprising, no? But also very true.” Italian filmmaker, Gianluca Migliarotti, dissects the magic of meeting. Meetings are crucial to both his personal and private life, and with a daily dose of meetings comes the calibration of a valuable gift: listening.

We met drummer Lenny White for a conversation on fear, trust, and inspiration. A recurring question was: How do we find the courage to imagine the new?

Heard on the square at night.

Close your eyes. Imagine yourself in a Medieval town or city. Stand still and listen. The noise is infernal.

Why are some shops and streets more alive than others? Can a book shop be about love and community? What role can a school play in a shopping street? How can imagination play a bigger role?