ABSTRACT
An understanding of cultural context is crucial to understand any art or music. When using music and art in family therapy, we draw upon new levels of context and need to be aware of the complexities and riches encompassed in these contexts. We inhabit a culture reliant on the visual and the verbal, with the visual, more times than not, being linked to words, stereotyped imagery, and consumerism. Studies of culture specific conceptions of creativity indicate overlaps and differences in different cultural traditions, as well as differences in the value given to creative ventures and creativity. East and West concepts of creativity show a cross-cultural agreement that a creative product has to be useful, satisfactory, or deemed appropriate by a group. In North America, research has found creativity to be related to concepts of humour and aesthetic appreciation. It is also important to note that, within an individual culture, gender differences towards notions of what creativity is are also evident.
