Like the sea: Living communityship as a form of participatory leadership within the Creativity for Learning in HE (#creativeHE) community

Abstract

The global pandemic has led to an explosion of open learning opportunities for academics to connect, share and develop ideas together. This paper presents a collaborative autoethnographic case study on the educational leadership approaches enacted and experienced in the voluntary Creativity for Learning in Higher Education (#creativeHE) community. The authors reflect, critically analyse and review the leadership of this open peer support community as it is experienced by them using visual metaphors and paired conversations. Insights gained through this inquiry seem to suggest that the leadership within this community is characterised by and experienced as communityship, a highly participatory and democratic way of leading that brings harmony, offers refuge and stretches the leadership team. Their humane and affective bonds as a collective provide a safe and calm working space in which everybody can flourish.