art and uncertainty: how art helps us confront the future

Most people hate and fear uncertainty. It causes such stress and anxiety that we often choose certain surrender over doubt, becoming passive, dependent, addicted--and more anxious than ever. Doubling down on the certainties promised by technology and micro-management only makes things worse, leaving no opportunity for innovation, adaptation or invention.

Artists live with uncertainty constantly--but instead of waiting for the future, they run towards making it, with agency and freedom. What can we learn from them, about facing into a future that grows more uncertain daily?

At a time when organizations of all kinds crave innovation but complain their people lack creativity and initiative, the arts have never been so essential to our future. We may not all be artists, but we can learn to think like them.

Margaret Heffernan makes a compelling argument for the vital integration of art into all aspects of our lives and for artists to guide us with their stamina, freedom and endurance.

Margaret Heffernan is Professor of Practice at the University of Bath School of Management, an entrepreneur, Chief Executive, mentor and author. She was a BBC producer, then moved to the USA where she spearheaded multimedia productions for Intuit, The Learning Company and Standard & Poors. She was Chief Executive of information Corporation, ZineZone Corporation and ICast Corporation, was name one of the top 25 by Streaming Media magazine and one of the Top 100 Media Executives by The Hollywood Reporter. She is the author of six books and her TED talks have been seen by over 15million people. She is a frequent broadcaster on BBC Radio 4 and the author of many plays and programmes.