Date of Graduation

Spring 2026

Document Type

Dissertation Restricted

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Education Policy, Planning, and Administration

Committee Chairperson

Heather Schugar, PhD

Committee Member

Don McCown, PhD

Committee Member

Zachary Wooten, PhD

Abstract

This research examines the practical realities needed to nurture creativity in higher education arts faculty. Through a qualitative narrative inquiry including semi-structured virtual interviews, higher education arts faculty across the United States shared their lived experiences which supported and challenged the nurturance of their creativity. This study sought to answer the research question: What practical realities are needed to nurture creativity in higher education creative arts faculty? Three sub-questions guided this inquiry: What practical realities need to be in place for arts faculty to sustain high levels of creativity and make meaningful contributions to their discipline? How do arts faculty report ways they nurture their creative process? What do arts faculty report as supports and challenges for nurturing their creativity? Template analysis was employed to examine the practical realities needed to nurture creativity such as the financial, social, and spiritual realms. The theoretical framework combined Csikszentmihalyi’s (2014) Systems Model of Creativity and Maslow’s (1943) Hierarchy of Needs. Findings confirmed that the time and energy needed to nurture creativity competes with the time and energy needed to meet basic needs for financial safety and social well-being; however, without meeting these basic human needs creativity suffers. Faculty artists benefitted from the financial and social stability of their teaching positions which reinforced their highest potential as artists (self and collective transcendence). If faculty artists advocate for an expanded arts curriculum to include employment preparation and financial well-being, the next generation may creatively problem-solve an age-old dilemma and continue sharing creative acts of love.

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