Combining both online and in-person events (following strict health and safety protocols), Crack your Chaos involved the participation of departments from across IE University and outside.
Juan Carlos Redondo Antona, Casa de la Moneda Coordinator and Manager of IE Creativity Center, shared his thoughts on another successful edition of Creativity Day. He was joined by Bachelor in Politics, Law and Economics student, Ida Nydelius, who told us how important creative expression is to her IE University experience.
Juan, what is the IE University Creativity Day?
IE Creativity Day is the most important annual event for the IE Creativity Center. It’s a transversal event for everybody since it’s based on creativity, a natural human factor. We’re all creative from when we’re born. The event is open to the entire IE University Community, but invitations also reach out to the city of Segovia, enhancing a close dialogue between the University and the city. This event is a fun opportunity for students, faculty, and guests to take a break from their regular scheduled classes and routines. It touches on each individual’s creativity.
How is IE Creativity Day unlike any other event?
IE Creativity Day is a community event that is open to the public as well as students and faculty. The event’s incentive is to generate community spirit in a fun and engaging way. It’s unlike any of IE University’s corporate or institutional events because it functions as an opportunity to touch everybody’s inner values. In addition, the spirit of the event changes every year, as it depends on the theme we work on.
How has Creativity Day become a tradition at IE University?
It’s become a tradition through the bond that has fused the three key stakeholders; the institution, the IE University Community, and the city of Segovia. The scheduling, program, and theme are the key factors, as they enable successful engagement between stakeholders beyond any cultural, generational, or linguistic barriers.
In addition, the 2021 edition managed to offer as much content online as face-to-face, for which safe sanitary protocols were guaranteed. It united the two campuses, as Creativity Day took place in both Segovia and Madrid. And this year’s edition “trespassed” outside its day in the calendar, embracing events that took place before and after the day itself.
The last two editions have also consistently delivered on six key elements:
1. Participation of the cities.
2. Participation of faculty.
3. External workshops.
4. IE University departments hosting, producing, or facilitating activities (such as the IE University Library, the Arts & Humanities Division, IEU Knowledge, and the Wellbeing Center).
5. Student Clubs.
6. A hybrid program.
And last but not least, the theme of the event, and hence its name, is crucial. We dedicated some hours to brainstorm the theme, spreading the word to the entire team to ensure successful delivery. After last year’s theme Synesthesia, the 2021 edition Crack your chaos considered chaos and creativity as two sides of the same coin.
Ida, tell us about yourself.
I’m from Mora in Sweden. I’m currently in my second year of the Bachelor in Politics, Law, and Economics. I joined the IEU Arts Club Segovia during my first semester at IE University, because I was looking for a creative output besides my studies. I was a member first, before becoming president for the academic year 2020–2021. It has been a great journey leading the IE Arts Club during this special year. Against the odds, it has been flourishing and growing.
What does Creativity Day mean for you?
Creativity Day for me is part of my IE University experience. It’s a day for us students to explore the humanities pillar and our creativity and to feel part of the IEU Community. Both years I have attended have been filled with surprises. On Creativity Day, Casa de la Moneda is filled with energy from all the students visiting the events. Undoubtedly, this year was very different from last year. Although COVID-19 constricted us, creativity allowed us to perform on the day, and successfully filled Casa de la Moneda with music and arts.
Creativity Day has quickly become an IE University institution. We congratulate everybody involved in producing such a successful event under uniquely challenging circumstances and look forward to seeing what next year’s theme will deliver.