Have you heard of “Creative Bureaucracy”? It might sound like an odd pairing, but this uplifting global movement aims to harmoniously blend creativity with structured processes.
In response to the global Creative Bureaucracy Festival, Damian Vanderwolf, Leigh Abernethy, and I cohosted a workshop where public servants from different agencies participated and shared their experiences. The intention of the day was to explore what creativity, in the public service, looks like and what it means. And ultimately how having a more creative bureaucracy can benefit people.
Why This Matters Now
Locally, we face complex challenges – natural disaster management, Olympic Games preparation, housing crises, and community resilience. These challenges will demand new ways of thinking and creative approaches from our public servants.
How Might This happen in our Bureaucracies?
The Creative Bureaucracy movement, founded by Charles Landry and Margie Caust, advocates for the idea that creativity can transform public sector work. They highlight essential areas to enhance public servants’ experiences and citizen engagement, including fostering empathy in the public service, recognising the impact of bureaucracy on employees, supporting social and cultural innovation and unlocking fresh ideas.
These domains, along with ethical, creative and intellectual resources, are essential in creating a public service that is ready for the challenges ahead. I would argue that these ways of thinking about organisational life are equally important in the corporate world as much as in the public service.
Our Workshop Results
Public servants from across government agencies gathered with us to step outside the usual ways of thinking, experiment with creative tools, and challenge assumptions about decision-making and problem-solving.
The participants left with practical commitments to:
• Create space for experimentation
• Use creative tools to uncover root challenges
• Employ imagery for team problem-solving
• Slow down decision-making processes
It became clear during our sessions that creativity in public service isn’t a luxury but a necessity. The collaboration between public administration and the public is an integral part of how we can address the challenges in our communities, build trust, and co-create solutions.
Looking Forward
This event was just the beginning. We’re excited to see how these creative approaches might shape global bureaucracies and, here locally, how the Queensland public service will respond to current and future challenges.
Special thanks to The Coffee Commune for providing excellent coffee, Kate Spencer and Margie Caust for their major contribution and coordination efforts for this event, and everyone else involved in global events.
Would you like to learn more about bringing creative approaches to your department? Let’s continue the conversation.
Creative Bureaucracy 2025.