If we believe imagination is first in a continuum leading through creativity to innovation, what would happen if imagination were central to education? Focusing on the role imagination can play within schools in a democratic society, this paper looks at two programs that put imagination at the heart of learning. The first is Imaginative Learning across content areas, as developed by Lincoln Center Institute. The second is the Making work being done in science classroms by the Exploratorium, a San Francisco science museum.

This document provides basic information about every Conversation that has taken place since the start of the initiative, including:

• Date and location

• Host organization

• Participants

• Structure

• Notable outcomes

This document is an in-depth look at the genesis of Lincoln Center Institute’s Imagination Conversations, findings of the initiative, and next steps resulting from it. The report’s four sections are:

• The Call for Imagination, Creativity, and Innovation (ICI)

• Lincoln Center Institute’s Response: The Imagination Conversations

• Findings of the Conversations

  • How ICI Functions across Professions and Sectors

  • How ICI is Nurtured and Sustained in Different Contexts

  • How to Cultivate ICI in Schools

• Commitments to Further Action