Out of Our Minds: Learning to Be Creative, 25th Anniversary Edition

‘Sir Ken Robinson shared with us that children are not problems to be fixed, but wonders to be cultivated. He was a beloved friend and a fearless advocate for human potential envisioning a world where children can grow and thrive.  This book continues to be an inspiration.’

Goldie Hawn

‘Words that I know to be true, still ringing in my ears for the last 20 years. And now as a mother, more than ever. I hope for the sanity of the planet one day his dream will become the norm.’

Imogen Heap

“If you're not prepared to be wrong, you'll never come up with anything original.”

-          Sir Ken Robinson

Widely recognised as one of the most inspirational books on the importance of creativity and its necessity, not just in education and business, but in society, Out of Our Minds is a masterclass in human potential.

Sir Ken Robinson, who sadly passed away in 2020, was an internationally recognised leader in the development of creativity, innovation and human resources and a New York Times bestselling author. His Ted talk ‘Do Schools Kill Creativity?’ is the most viewed Ted talk of all time with over 80 million views.

Out of Our Minds challenges misconceptions that only special people are creative or that creativity applies only to the arts. The book shows how the rigid academic hierarchy – with mathematics at the top, arts at the bottom – wastes enormous talent. Drawing on examples from Fortune 500 companies and schools worldwide, it demonstrates how standardized testing prevents creative development.

Now with the help of Sir Ken’s daughter, Kate, Out of Our Minds has been updated in this special 25th Anniversary edition which also explores:

• How artificial intelligence and rapid technological change make creativity essential for personal security and economic prosperity, not a luxury
• Why neurodiversity awareness demands education systems that accommodate different ways of thinking rather than requiring conformity through medication
• Practical strategies for leading cultures of innovation in organizations, moving beyond performative training days to systemic transformation
• The case for transforming – not merely reforming – education to help individuals discover their unique talents and lead meaningful lives

Essential reading for educators, business leaders, managers, parents, and policy makers, Out of Our Minds provides the framework needed to create systems that develop rather than suppress human creative potential. In an era of accelerating change, this book offers a radically different approach to human intelligence.

The late SIR KEN ROBINSON, PHD, was Professor Emeritus at the University of Warwick, where he served as Professor of Arts Education for 12 years. An internationally recognised leader in creativity and human resources, he worked with governments, Fortune 500 corporations, and cultural organisations across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. His 2006 TED talk has been viewed over 46 million times by an estimated 400 million people in 160 countries. He received a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II for his services to the arts.

KATE ROBINSON is Director of the Sir Ken Robinson Foundation and co-author of Imagine If? Creating a Future for Us All, written with her father, Sir Ken Robinson. She served as Creativity and Imagination Expert on Apple TV+'s Not a Box, is a patron of Action for Children's Arts and the Forest of Imagination, and a trustee of her father's estate. An author, speaker, and podcast host, she works at the intersection of creativity, education, and cultural change.