The ‘C’ Word: Why Creativity Matters to the MoJ and How to Harness It 

Nicholas Smith

Innovation Lead,

MoJ Innovation Team

When I first started exploring creativity in the MoJ, one thing struck me straight away: it’s about people and the way we work together. It’s about how we create the conditions where our colleagues feel safe, motivated, and supported to nurture an idea and try something new, even in the most challenging environments like prisons or probation offices. 

Creativity isn’t about being ‘arty’. It’s not a case of you’re either born with or without it. It’s a skill that’s as much about problem-solving, adaptability, and finding smarter ways to get through the challenges we face every single day, than it is about colour, shape or form. It’s rarely a sudden burst of imagination that settles into a clear, creative outcome, rather a process that takes us from problem, to idea, to gathering information and losing ourselves in deep thinking – all in the pursuit of a vision, a way forward. 

Why creativity matters in the MoJ 

The World Economic Forum ranks creative thinking as the fourth most important skill for workers across every sector this year. That’s above AI, cybersecurity, and programming. This tells us something important: the problems we face aren’t just technical, they’re human, cultural, and frankly messy. And to tackle them, we need imagination. 

The MoJ’s agencies are no stranger to large, critical challenges that must be met head-on. Solutions to these challenges require creative, inventive thinking. In my own research on innovation in prisons, one theme was clear: colleagues are already creative, often in ways they don’t get credit for. Whether it’s finding ways to de-escalate a heated situation, adapting routines to meet individual needs, or working out how to keep things running with limited resources, frontline staff show daily acts of ingenuity. The challenge is how we harness that energy, scale it, and make sure it’s valued as a skill. 

So, what’s in it for you? 

In my Insights Festival session, “The ‘C’ Word: Why Creativity Matters to the MoJ and How to Harness It”, we’ll explore: 

• Creating a positive culture: practical ways to build environments where ideas are welcomed, not shut down. 

• The 10 dimensions of creativity: a research-based framework that helps explain why some teams buzz with ideas while others feel like wading through treacle. (Spoiler: trust and playfulness matter more than you think.) 

• Leadership and ownership: how you can unlock creativity without needing all the answers themselves. 

• Diversity and inclusion: why the most innovative solutions often come from the voices we hear the least. 

You’ll leave with tools you can actually use, whether you’re in a busy prison wing, or supporting people on probation in the community. 

Why you should attend Insights Festival 

The Insights Festival is our chance to step back from the day-to-day, connect across the MoJ, and share the best ideas. It’s where we spark new thinking, challenge ourselves, and imagine how things could be better. 

If we want a justice system that’s more effective, fairer, and ready for the future, then we need to back creativity. It’s not fluff. It’s fuel for innovation, and it’s already happening around us, we just need to shine a light on it. 

So, come join me on 19 November for an hour of ideas, insights, and maybe even a laugh or two. 

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