Why Creativity Matters
What fuels a vibrant, connected and creative community? What makes people feel good about living in Westport?
When locals share the creativity that they uncover in the nooks and crannies of their community it brings about connectivity and makes us all feel good.
Believe it or not, you discover creativity in the ordinary every day as you walk, shop, work and play in Westport. HamletHub “Why Creativity Matters” showcases these local experiences.
Three questions with Westport resident Michael Hendricks, musician, artist, teacher at Saugatuck Church.
When I think of creativity in Westport think of …
Creativity is a funny word for me in that it connotes bringing into the world something that never existed before. In my work, I feel more like I’m trying to translate ancient insights and truths in ways that take our peculiar idiosyncratic and modern sensibilities seriously. Twenty years ago, Saugatuck Church in Westport, CT asked me to lead a class for seventh and eighth graders in which we would write a short play based loosely on Bible stories. The program is called Story Tent, and I think of it as Fractured Bible Stories in the way that the old Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoon used to offer Fractured Fairy Tales. And, of course, what greater source of ancient insights and truth could there be than Rocky and Bullwinkle?
We do things like treat the Cain and Abel murder like a silly detective story, in which it’s painfully obvious to everyone but the detectives that there’s only one person on the planet who could have done it. Right now, we’re working on a piece about one-ness and love in which the different parts of the body decide to hold an election to determine which is the most important. It’s fun, funny and silly. More importantly, we build teamwork and create spaces for young people to talk about serious things like transcendent love that don’t seem to be available elsewhere in their lives.
As far as Westport organizations go, I’ve been fortunate to take this journey with the full support of Saugatuck Church. This is a group of people that love the arts. They are also very intentional about giving young people opportunities for leadership roles. From the beginning, this was something that the congregation wanted. They asked me to take on the project. And the response here has been tremendous. The kids get a kick out of it. A great team of people have stepped forward for 20 years to make it happen. And the congregation looks forward to hearing old stories told in fresh ways.
Is there an organization in Westport that inspires you?
The great thing for me is that I also benefit from different activities that other people create. In the last couple of years, we’ve provided space for the Westport Library to continue offering music programs for the community while their building was being renovated and hosted art shows that provided venues for immigrant artists from neighboring communities. The arts have turned out to be a place where people in this community who come from different traditions can meet on common ground.
Why Creativity Matters is made possible by LIFEWTR.
The views and opinions expressed above are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of HamletHub or LIFEWTR.