Creativity in project management

How the Good Grief Project found its North Star

Summary: This article highlights how creativity in project management strengthens outcomes, improves team wellbeing and supports more responsive, human-centred delivery. Using the Good Grief Project as a case study, it shows how creative processes and reflective practice acted as a North Star to guide decision-making, alignment and impact. It demonstrates why embedding creativity at every stage of project management leads to more effective and meaningful results.

Over the last 18 months, I’ve been involved in an innovative creative health and wellbeing programme called the Good Grief Project, funded by Creative Ireland. Early in the process, the team made a crucial decision: creativity wouldn’t simply sit at the point of contact between artists and participants, it would run through every aspect of delivery. It would shape management, administration, artistic practice and participant engagement.

Alongside my role as Lead Artist Mentor, providing ongoing support and reflective practice to the eight artists involved, I also supported the staff and project managers through creative supervision. As they navigated the emotional, relational and managerial challenges of this trail-blazing programme, creativity became not just an output for participants but the spine that held the whole project together. It helped us relate, feel and make sense of the work as it unfolded.

In an age where creativity is increasingly called upon to address complex health, social, business and environmental concerns, it is valued for its potential to innovate, connect and cultivate meaning. Despite this, it is not always embedded into the professional practice in the tiers of management that steer projects and policies. The Good Grief Project decided to experiment: what would happen if creativity was not just the end result, but the backbone?

I recently interviewed Nicola and Elizabeth, Engagement Officers from Creative Waterford and Wexford to capture how the creative process underpins the success of the project. 

Creativity as a Project Management Tool

Now in its second year, the Good Grief Project explores how creative ritual can support people in their second year of grief. Initially brought in as the Lead Artist Mentor for the artists involved, the managers quickly realised that they too might benefit from creative supervision, allowing them to manage the project’s progress through reflective practice and creativity.

Throughout the busiest periods of delivery, I met with both engagement officers monthly. I intentionally allowed these sessions to be spacious and responsive, blending discussion with creative making. We spent time reflecting on how the project was evolving, where challenges were emerging and how each person was navigating their role. As themes began to surface, about half the session was dedicated to art-making, using materials and objects to process expressively and non-verbally. The making often brought up what was stirring beneath the surface, and further clarity emerged in discussion afterwards.

Nicola summed up the heart of why these sessions mattered: “The higher up we go (in the delivery of cultural projects), the more we need to embed this (creativity). If we believe in the creative process, we must make the time for it.” Yet she also recognised a familiar tension: creativity can still feel “frivolous” or “childish” especially when confronted with the pressure of deadlines, reports and timelines.

Carving out that time changed the way they worked. Nicola noticed that the sessions ensured “I was examining what was going on and actually pausing… which can often go to the bottom of the list when you have a million admin things to do. It shaped the decision-making process. It kept us accountable to each other and kept re-centring us on the purpose and ethos of the project, making sure none of that got lost.”

For Elizabeth, the sessions resonated deeply with what was happening between artists and participants. “The sessions allowed us to come together in a meaningful way,” she said, noting that “we were echoing what was happening in the project in terms of the creative sessions the artists were giving with participants.”

Each two-hour session began with reflective dialogue, a grounding point where issues, tensions and observations could be named openly. “Reflective dialogue at the beginning was helpful because we were setting the scene for the session… bringing up any issues that were happening for us,” Elizabeth reflected.

From these conversations, themes surfaced naturally. Creative exercises were shaped in response, often starting with a short meditation before giving the team up to an hour of uninterrupted making. This sometimes felt vulnerable and “daunting” as Elizabeth puts it. Nicola also notes “There is nowhere to hide” in the creative process. But that transparency deepened honesty, allowing unspoken dynamics and insights to surface. I used positive enquiry and ensured the space remained open and non-judgemental, often reflecting back what I was sensing.

Over time, the sessions helped the team articulate something intangible yet essential, the “ethos,” “spirit” or “gut” of the project. The space allowed us to connect with this in a more embodied way. When big decisions arose, the ‘North Star’ (a term that emerged through the interviews) remained consistent. Through taking dedicated time out of day-to-day delivery and creating this reflective space, I was able to hold this North Star for Nicola and Elizabeth so that whenever a decision needed to be made, I could remind them of it. Care and consideration guided choices, and each part of the project aligned with greater ease.

Nicola shared a profound insight about creativity’s capacity to reveal what is not yet fully conscious: “When you make, you can tap into things you don’t have the words for yet, and through the process you find the words.” Through making, discoveries surfaced and dialogue flowed. She added, “I was discovering things I didn’t know were obviously there and steering things. It was important to give them air.” Creativity makes the unconscious conscious and, in doing so, allows for aspects of management to be witnessed and heard.

Elizabeth described creativity as a way to “act out” some of the management challenges in a more embodied way, “Giving the project its time and space to experience actually doing… or acting… the theme.” What was once research on paper, a concept or theory, became alive: a sensing and felt experience.

Each session allowed greater coherence to emerge across all aspects of the project. Nicola shared “Doing the admin for Good Grief was nice as I felt there was an emotional link to everything I was processing.” Project management became integrated so that nothing felt separate or cut off. Elizabeth added, “It meant that creativity was running through the spine of the project and interlinking all aspects.” This integration fostered ease and flow.

The word “Heart” surfaced repeatedly. Over time, the project itself began to feel like an entity containing the sense of acceptance that underpinned each session. This way of working brought care, clarity and a strong sense of direction. As Nicola remarked, “When you approach a project with curiosity and openness, there are no issues to be solved or problems to fix. There are nuances to be unpacked and unforeseen learnings to draw from.” This shifted our experience: rather than dealing with problems, we met opportunities for understanding and progression.

As the project moved into its second year, the sessions became more ad hoc but no less meaningful. Nicola described recent meetings as putting “visuals onto our feelings” about how to continue. It wasn’t about a perfect plan. It was learning to walk alongside uncertainty and remain open to what was alive. “Sometimes it was about finding the confidence to know that we can walk that path and discover things along the way.” Creativity provided direction and possibilities.

This evolution of, and constant referring back to, the North Star seemed an essential part of the project management process, ensuring an alignment that ran through the project as a whole, a heart-centred approach that was underpinned by care and a constant vision to ensure the project kept on the pathway intended.

Creativity as Professional Development

These sessions also became a space for professional growth. The integration I mentioned earlier seemed to radiate out to the project managers themselves. Nicola said, “Creativity gives you the space to know yourself better… it gives you your why.” The engagement officers seemed to develop their own internal North Stars, understanding their motivations and behaviours within their roles. This clarity supported honesty, empathy and camaraderie.

Creativity allowed the managers to bring their full selves to the work. Nicola expressed the relief of no longer needing to split off parts of herself: “When you have to fraction yourself off, you have to pretend you are this ‘business person’ or that ‘artist,’ but creativity shows you can own every part of it.” Even administrative tasks, such as drawdowns, invoicing, reporting, became acts of care rather than mere paperwork. She goes on to note that this self-integration extended beyond the project and into her personal life.

Elizabeth found that the sessions helped reveal their personal approaches to management and opened new perspectives. “The creative aspect helped us explore new perspectives: how we were feeling, towards each other and the project, and what external stressors were coming in. If we were stuck, it enabled us to form a vision for how to move forward.” A supportive, caring space allowed this awareness to flourish.

Nicola described how she would often re-enter the workplace, after a session, grounded: “I was able to go back calmer and regulated… and fulfil my duties rather than pushing feelings down and letting them spill out later.” Creativity gave her permission “for loads of things to be true at once” and removed the pressure to categorise everything as right or wrong. Holding multiple truths at once enhanced their understanding of “problem solving” — not simply problems, but indicators for learning and improvement. “It allowed us not to focus on perfection but to work through the messiness of managing projects.” Through creativity, our humanness emerges as we take off the masks we wear and, as has happened here, the project was given to space to grow.

Elizabeth noted that beginning sessions with meditation helped her tune into her body and see the day-to-day operations differently. “Starting with meditation allowed me to tune into my body… the visual metaphor of creativity helped me understand how we were managing the project.”

She also recognised the process expanded her sense of personal creativity: “There is a lot more for me to explore in how I am creative and how I can express myself… I don’t always give myself the kudos for what my creative brain can achieve.” Throughout the busiest phases, I saw the team’s capacity and confidence grow. This enhanced their professional outlook and strengthened their project management skills.

Creativity as a Foundation for Team Cohesion

Between Nicola and Elizabeth, the blend of reflective and creative work strengthened their relationship and communication. They gained insight into each other’s ways of thinking, reducing friction and increasing understanding.

Nicola described this beautifully: the sessions helped them see that “not everyone’s mind works like yours… reducing the chance of clashes. You develop genuine care and empathy, seeing each other in a very human way.” As relationships deepened, more complex dialogue could unfold, expanding into the various ways the could deliver the project.

Often those working in creativity and wellbeing work share common understandings of how beneficial creativity can be. Elizabeth notes that “We may be on the same page, but we are looking at the page differently.” As differences are teased out and accepted, their dialogue deepened and they reached out more readily. Nicola said the process “made me far more likely to pick up the phone.” Loyalty grew, to each other and to the project’s values.

Creativity as Wellbeing — for Staff, Participants and the Project Itself

Over time, the project began to feel like an entity we collectively tended to. Supporting the project’s wellbeing created a ripple effect: everyone involved felt more grounded, supported and connected.

While creative projects often prioritise participant wellbeing, this model offered support across every layer of delivery. Nicola reflected that creative engagement deepened her empathy: “Engaging in the creative process meant I developed empathy with the participants, as we asked them to open up and engage with creativity.”

Elizabeth echoed the importance of this: “The sessions went towards the wellbeing of the project, and then the wellbeing of the project managers.” She connected this to the broader purpose of Creative Ireland, a national initiative to promote creativity across Government and Community.  “I’m not just sitting in an office filling out a spreadsheet. I am a creative being who does her job better when I engage in the creative task because it gives me insight into different perspectives on the project as a whole.”

She added that creative engagement helped her understand the experiences of artists and participants: “I could understand their process… whatever I was representing in the sessions helped me understand the next task to be done.” The sessions were never about leaving with a five-point plan. They were about connecting to the heart of the project and tuning into its vision, guiding us step by step as the project rolled out.

When monitoring and evaluating creative health projects, how often do we measure the wellbeing of all those involved? Are we overly concerned with the “What” and “Why” and the “How” is deemed merely a means to an end. We gather statistics and participant stories, but what about the artists, admin teams and managers? The Good Grief Project shows that considering everyone’s wellbeing leads to more sustainable, innovative and heart-based project delivery.

Creativity as More Than We Imagine

For the Good Grief Project, embedding creativity as the “spine” of the work proved profoundly effective. It enabled an intuitive, heart-centred approach to management and encouraged a healthier, more sustainable way of working. As Nicola said, “Creativity is way more than we think it is,” later adding that creativity brings “alignment in every choice, so that every tiny decision is made in alignment with the project ethos.” It brought care, coherence and cohesion to project management.

Creativity also offered a form of professional development uniquely tailored to the project and a safe, grounded space. This happened because of a vital early decision: the formalisation of creativity within the project structure. Nicola articulates this clearly: “If we don’t formalise the creative process within our roles — as part of paid work time, making it as important as other areas — then how can we, in good faith, ask participants to give up their time to engage?”

In an evolving Arts and Health landscape, projects seeking to innovate or move into unknown territory cannot treat creativity as optional — it is essential. As Nicola put it, “If you are intending to do something innovative… then the creative process needs to be a formal part of that.” Elizabeth added that this approach helps staff step out from “behind the curtain” that an administrative burden can create.

When attempting to summarise their experience, we reached for words that reflected this sense of confidence, care and connection that ran beneath the work. Nicola spoke of the somewhat “sacred” nature of creativity, suggesting how the creative process elevates work beyond tasks and connects it to something greater. Elizabeth used the word “insightful” to reflect the awareness she gained. For me, the word “meaningful” continues to arise. The sense that we can engage in work that matters deeply and supports genuine wellbeing of all involved.

As the Good Grief Project enters its second year, creative supervision continues as a needs-led, living element of the work: a practice that keeps the project aligned with its heart. Its recent award in the Health and Wellbeing category of the Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government Awards affirms something this article has sought to show: creativity is not an accessory to good practice but the very means by which care, clarity and integrity take root. When creativity is formalised within our systems and honoured in our daily work, it becomes the force that steadies us, connects us and guides our Arts and Health practice toward deeper impact.