Making Room for Creativity: Maddie Schmidt on the Importance of Play

Somewhere between childhood and adulthood, play starts to disappear. It becomes something people feel they have to justify, schedule, or grow out of. For Maddie Schmidt, that loss is worth paying attention to.

In the second episode of STANDOUT, Maddie talks about play, creativity, and her work as co-founder of The Creative Coven. The conversation looks at why creativity matters, why so many adults become disconnected from it, and what can happen when people are given space to explore without pressure. 

One of the central ideas in the interview is that play is not just entertainment. It is a way of learning, connecting and making sense of the world. Maddie speaks about play as something that allows people to take risks in a low-pressure way. It gives them permission to try, fail, laugh, change direction and keep going. That freedom is often missing in adult life, where so much is shaped by productivity and expectation.

The Creative Coven was created as a response to that need. It offers people a space to be creative without the pressure to perform. There is no demand to be perfect, original or impressive. Instead, the focus is on showing up, trying something and allowing the process to matter.

There is a strong sense of community running through the project. Play can be personal, but it does not have to be solitary. When people create together, the pressure often softens. A shared creative space can make experimentation feel less intimidating. It can also remind people that they are not alone in feeling blocked, uncertain or disconnected from their imagination.

Many people stop creating because they decide, often early on, that they are not good at it. They compare themselves to others, worry about doing it wrong, or feel embarrassed by the idea of starting again. Maddie pushes back against that fear. Through The Creative Coven, she creates environments where people can be beginners, where they can make something imperfect, and where that imperfection is part of the point.

A key takeaway from the conversation is that creativity does not have to be dramatic to be valuable. It does not need to become a career, a side hustle or a finished product. Sometimes it is enough for creativity to bring someone back to themselves. Maddie’s approach challenges the idea that creative work only matters when it can be measured or shared.

What makes the conversation compelling is that Maddie does not present creativity as something precious or out of reach. She speaks about it as something ordinary, human and necessary. The Creative Coven seems to understand that many people do not need to be taught how to be creative from scratch. They need a way back in.

By the end of the interview, play feels less like an escape from real life and more like a way of returning to it with greater openness. It becomes a way to notice, connect and imagine differently.

Watch the full interview on YouTube to hear Maddie Schmidt speak about the importance of play, co-founding The Creative Coven, and why creativity still deserves space in adult life.

If Maddie's story has inspired you to take your own first step towards creating change, the next STAND Ideas Collective Bootcamp is well worth exploring. STAND’s five-day, in-person programme helps participants shape ideas for positive social change through structured workshops, peer support, and inspiring speakers.