Creativity Matters
The Vision
Our Creativity Matters packets and groups help members engage the monthly themes and explore spiritual growth through creative expression. It's all about  allowing our intuition and imagination to guide us, not just our logic and reflective minds. Think of it as making room for your right brain to dance with your left brain. 
Participants
Creativity Matters groups are designed for everyone - no experience or artistic skill required. Just bring a playful and adventurous attitude. 😊
Our Content Developer & Facilitator
Elizabeth McKoy has been a Theatre and Visual Teaching Artist, Creativity Coach, Arts Curriculum Trainer, Professional Theatre Director and non-profit Arts leader for over 25 years. Elizabeth also founded  Soulster.org - a new creativity non-profit focused on growing and celebrating creativity.    Elizabeth has been a UU for many years and is also a passionate acrylic painter who loves sketching, writing, singing, dancing, cooking, creating digital stories, directing musical theatre and hanging with her kooky family of 5 kids, socialist NYC mother,  supportive husband and her 17 year + old goldendoodle dog. 
The Model

Project-Based Packets: Like our other small group curriculum, Creativity Matters packets are built around our monthly themes. What makes this packets unique is that each contains creative exercises for group members to work on prior to their group meeting. The packets also contain inspirational material and reflection questions related to that exercise. ​

Group Meetings for Sharing & Reflection:  We suggest group members meet monthly to share the projects and insights that emerged from the exercise/project they picked.  These “show and share” moments help help one tap into the personal meanings that arise from the act of creation.​​ Process-wise we suggest you use the typical Soul Matters model of one round of active listening followed by a second "response round" during which members share how the projects and sharing of others helped connect them with a memory or insight.

Monthly Facilitator Coaching Built In: In addition to receiving 10 theme-based packets with your subscription, Elizabeth McCoy, our program coordinator, hosts a monthly coaching call for all Creativity Matters facilitators. At these online facilitator gatherings, Elizabeth shares "in-group creative exercises" you can then do with your groups as warm-up and grounding exercises before diving into sharing and reflecting on the packet projects group members chose. Additionally on these calls, Elizabeth makes time to answer questions from facilitators and coach them on any challenges they are facing.


  • Studio Lab: This is an optional meeting where participants can gather to work on the exercise together. Creativity Matters facilitator, Elizabeth McKoy, is on hand to model, guide and teach mini-tutorials (when needed) on the monthly project. It's also an informal time to  practice, laugh, share and learn together.  Perfect for those who like to create in community or need help setting aside time to work on the project. For many of us, the sharing that naturally arises as we create together is a spiritual experience in and of itself.

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Meetings

Groups meet once a month for 5 months. Each month there is an additional and optional studio lab:
  • Reflection Meeting: The main group meeting is when participants gather to share their experience with that month's creative exercise and discuss spiritual discernment questions related to that experience. These “show and share” moments help us tap into the personal meanings that arise from the act of creation.
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  • Studio Lab: This is an optional meeting where participants can gather to work on the exercise together. Creativity Matters facilitator, Elizabeth McKoy, is on hand to model, guide and teach mini-tutorials (when needed) on the monthly project. It's also an informal time to  practice, laugh, share and learn together.  Perfect for those who like to create in community or need help setting aside time to work on the project. For many of us, the sharing that naturally arises as we create together is a spiritual experience in and of itself.
​Creative Journal
​To help us integrate and see connections between our monthly projects, we will work regularly with a journal/scrapbook in which we capture stories, images, ideas and feelings that come up for us. It's a beautiful way to document the whole of our adventure together.
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Types of Creative Activities
The diverse, fun and engaging monthly projects  will include such things as: collage, storytelling, scrapbooking, sketching, photography, creative writing, watercolor painting, fabric arts, sculpture, movement, music, and more. Again, all of these projects will be designed for everyone - no experience or artistic skill required-just bring a playful and open attitude.

Elizabeth will provide a list of suggested materials which participants can buy on Amazon or at an art store to supplement things they already own.  The only required items are a blank (no lines) sketchbook or scrapbook, permanent markers/Sharpies, glue and scissors.
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 Welcome Video

Click HERE for a video welcome and overview from Creativity Matters facilitator, Elizabeth McKoy

Groups & Meeting Dates

​New Creativity Matters groups will begin again in fall 2021.
Check this page in August to sign up!
You can also email Susan , our Membership Director, to get on the waiting list.

In the meantime, check out our spring Video Storytelling Workshop by clicking HERE!
Video Storytelling Journey (April 17-24, 2021)
Join this one week (8-day) journey in which you will learn the skills of video storytelling and then use them to create and complete your own video. 
Click HERE to learn more!
  For more information contact Susan: susan@soulmatterssharingcircle.com.                           Soul Matters Sharing Circle LLC