Annual Creativity Conference 2027

Annual Creativity Conference: Make Creativity Happen

The Annual Creativity Conference is a place to share ideas about creativity and its expression. This year, we are bringing research and practice together. The conference is for those who are studying creativity and those making creativity happen.

The conference welcomes all disciplines. Presentations cover how to support creativity, as well as its genetic, developmental, cultural, economic and historical foundations. Typically 200 to 250 participants join us from dozens of countries.

Important dates

• 3.11.2026 The Call for Contributions opens
• 31.12.2026 Deadline for all submissions
• 1.2.2027 Notification of acceptance
• 15.2.2027 Keynote speakers and preliminary programme published
• 31.5.-2.6.2027 World Creativity Conference

Keynote Speakers

Several keynote speakers have already been scheduled:

• Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). He has written extensively about the results from the e OECD PISA 2022 Creative Thinking Test, which was given to students in 64 countries around the world. 
• Lisa Grocott from Wonderlab / Monash University. Wonderlab “ integrates co-design, storymaking, and performance to support a relational approach to transformative change….how might responsible research honor the deep interconnectedness between the people, places, and planetary systems we seek to shift?”
• Maciej Karwowski is a professor of psychology, University of Wroclaw, and director of the Creative Behavior Lab.  He is also editor-in-chief of the Journal of Creative Behavior. He is an author or co-author of more than 200 articles devoted to creativity research, emphasizing the role of cognitive (e.g., intelligence) and motivational (e.g., creative self-concept) factors in enriching people’s creative activity.
• Mathias Benedek currently works at the Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, where he directs the Creative Cognition Lab and is head of the Creativity and Innovation research group. He has published extensively on the neurocognitive foundations of creativity, divergent thinking, individual differences, executive functions, and the impact of AI on creative behavior.
• Mukti Khaire from Girish and Jaidev Reddy Professor of Practice, Cornell Tech & the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business. She studies the creation of new markets by pioneering entrepreneurs in creative and cultural industries, including art, fashion, film, music, and publishing.
• Mark A. Runco is organizing a panel discussion on AI and Creativity. Mark has been awarded three lifetime achievement awards and is past President of the APA’s Division 10. He is Fellow in ISSCI and was Director of the Creativity programs at Southern Oregon University and the University of Georgia. He is Editor Emeritus of the Creativity Research Journal and coeditor of the Encyclopedia of Creativity.

Welcome to Finland!

Few cities pair urban energy with easy access to nature the way Helsinki Capital Region  does. Half of Helsinki is green space, the sea is always close by, and over 3,200 kilometres of cycling paths let you clear your head between sessions with little effort. The air quality here consistently ranks among the best in the world.

Finland has topped the World Happiness Report for nine years running, and Helsinki is recognised as one of the world's most sustainable travel destinations. The conference itself takes place at Aalto University in Espoo, just a short metro ride from the centrer, a city known for its blend of forest, coastline and design-driven campus life. Otaniemi, Aalto's home campus, sits right on the water and is surrounded by walking trails, making it easy to step outside between sessions. 

August brings long, mild days, forests still deep green, and the region at its easiest to enjoy outdoors. Explore Helsinki's Design District, walk along the waterfront, or relax in one of the more than 60 public saunas scattered across the city. Espoo adds its own draw, with Nuuksio National Park a short trip from campus for those who want a fuller dose of Finnish forest. Wellbeing here is not an add-on. It is built into daily life.

Getting here is straightforward. Helsinki-Vantaa Airport is one of the best-connected hubs in Northern Europe, with frequent direct flights from across the continent, and Aalto's campus in Espoo is a short and easy journey from the airport or Helsinki city centre.

Get to know the Aalto campus - take an architectural tour around it

Get inspired by the video below for an architecture tour around the campus of Aalto University.