Finding Value: The Quiet First Step in Facilitating Creativity

One of the most overlooked yet vital aspects of supporting creativity — especially within supported studio settings — is learning to identify where and when value is experienced. Before form, before meaning, before even intention, there is the spark of value. It may not be easily recognizable, but it is always present.

When we talk about value, we aren't referring only to what most would call “beautiful” or “successful” art. We are looking for the moments when something — anything — holds attention, creates satisfaction, or invites return. These moments might seem small:

• the perfectly unfurled shape of a sock laid out with care,

• the repeated motion of dragging a brush across a surface again and again,

• the overwhelming, all-encompassing soundscape when standing in the middle of a crowded mall.

  
  

Each of these moments reveals a connection between the individual and the world around them. It’s where information meets interpretation and becomes meaningful — even if that meaning is private, subtle, or difficult to articulate.

For facilitators, this is where our work begins. Identifying how, when, and where value shows up — no matter how grand or minute — gives us the foundation to eventually explore the why. Once value is recognized, helping give it shape, form, and language becomes more natural and responsive. We are no longer forcing creativity into predefined boxes but instead nurturing what is already present.

Crucially, this process must be done without judgment and with deep humility. Our role is not to decide if something is valuable but to notice when the person we are supporting finds value. This is harder than it sounds. It asks us to quiet our own assumptions about what “should” matter, and instead become careful observers of what does matter.

This simple act of noticing is one of the most profound practices you can carry into creative facilitation. It’s the starting place for building trust, expanding possibilities, and fostering authentic expression.

So next time you find yourself facilitating — whether in a studio, classroom, or community space — try asking:Where is value already happening?What seems to hold attention?What invites someone to stay with it, repeat it, or return to it?

That is where the real work begins.