Unknown Origins

What if the key to solving the climate crisis isn’t new — but ancient?

In this lyrical and story-driven manifesto, we explore how First Nations wisdom offers revolutionary answers to today’s environmental emergencies. Rooted in relationship, reciprocity, and reverence for the land, Indigenous practices have sustained ecosystems for millennia — not through extraction, but through balance.

What if the Earth isn’t a resource, but a relative?
What can we learn from Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) about living sustainably?
How can we listen — not to lead, but to learn?

From rotational farming and fire stewardship to consensus governance and spiritual ecology, this episode invites us to reimagine climate action as a cultural, emotional, and ancestral return — not to the past, but to wisdom we’ve forgotten to honor.

This isn’t romanticism.
This is restoration.
This is regeneration.
This is the revolution already written in the soil.

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Attitude. Imagination. Execution. 
Create Without Frontiers.
🌐 www.unknownorigins.com

What happens when the world no longer runs on money?

This lyrical, thought-provoking episode explores a radical question: What if money didn’t exist? Through a vivid, story-driven narrative, we dismantle the economic systems that shape our lives and imagine what might rise from the rubble — a world where creativity, empathy, and community replace currency.

How would we define value without price?
Could cooperation replace competition?
Would art flourish if it wasn’t made to sell?

We examine the collapse of traditional economies, the evolution of power without profit, and the liberation of human creativity from market forces. From resource-based economies and time-based currency to gift cultures and sustainability credits — this episode offers blueprints for a new kind of wealth: measured not in digits, but in dignity and meaning.

This isn’t escapism.
It’s a design brief for the future.

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Attitude. Imagination. Execution. 
Create Without Frontiers.
🌐 www.unknownorigins.com

Creativity in Motion: Shaping Tomorrow’s World 
Keynote modified for podcast by Roy Sharples at EXIST – Exeter Chamber UK | March 27, 2025

The future doesn’t belong to those who play it safe—it belongs to the bold. In this special episode, we bring you Roy Sharples’ keynote from EXIST, Exeter Chamber UK's Implementing Innovation event.

From The Beatles to Bowie, Jobs to Disney—history shows that true innovation is driven by outsiders who dare to think differently.

Roy Sharples—author of Creativity Without Frontiers and founder of Unknown Origins—has helped shape iconic brands and build industry-defining products. His mission: fight mediocrity and ignite creative bravery.

What you’ll learn

1. Why creativity—not process—is your last real competitive edge

2. How to turn bold ideas into tangible, lasting impact

3. Why now is the time to stop playing it safe and start leading with imagination

Why it matters
Because the world doesn’t remember the followers.
It remembers the fearless.
Creativity is the last competitive edge—are you using it?

Learn more: www.unknownorigins.com

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In this episode, Roy Sharples presents his talk Creative Bravery in Leadership: Transforming the Ordinary into the Extraordinary, given at the Central Saint Martins and Birkbeck MBA Program. Roy shares insights from his 20+ year leadership journey, explaining how embracing creativity and bold decision-making can lead to transformative results. Tune in to learn how creative bravery can help you push boundaries and achieve extraordinary outcomes in your leadership.

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Roy Sharples and Gary Burt discuss the  importance of integrating physical and online retail experiences, supporting local businesses, and nurturing community engagement is reiterated for the future success of high streets by shaping  a brighter tomorrow for our communities.

Segment 1: Integration of Physical and Virtual Retail
Seamlessly blend online and offline shopping experiences using technology to meet evolving consumer needs and enhance engagement.

Segment 2: Nurturing Local Boutiques
Supporting local boutiques to preserve community culture and create vibrant retail landscapes.

Segment 3: Incentivizing Local Entrepreneurs
Supporting local entrepreneurs through collaborative efforts to reduce barriers and risks associated with starting businesses.

Segment 4: Building Economic Growth
Economic benefits of supporting local businesses and the need to create self-sustaining ecosystems in retail spaces.

Segment 5: Instilling Community Pride
The role of high streets as community hubs and advocate for active engagement to foster social connections and inclusivity.

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Attitude. Imagination. Execution. 
Create Without Frontiers.
🌐 www.unknownorigins.com

Roy Sharples and Gary Burt delve into the intersection of artistry and artificial intelligence, reshaping creativity as we know it.

1. Reshaping Tradition
Explore how AI is redefining creativity, challenging conventional norms while honoring traditions. Witness AI's emergence as a disruptive force across visual arts and music, pushing the boundaries of artistic expression.

2. Collaboration or Competition
Is AI a competitor or collaborator? Discover the delicate balance between human intuition and AI's computational power, fostering symbiotic relationships that amplify creative outcomes.

3. AI Tools for Creatives
Uncover stories of artists integrating AI tools into their creative processes, transforming perceptions of art across various mediums.

4. Ethical Considerations
Navigate the complex landscape of responsible AI practices, addressing challenges of ownership, provenance, and misrepresentation while ensuring transparency, fairness, and privacy.

5. AI's Impact on Visual Arts
From generative design to augmented reality, witness AI revolutionizing visual arts, offering new avenues for artistic expression and immersive experiences.

6. The Future of Music
Explore how AI composers and collaborators like AIVA are expanding the palette of possibilities in music composition, fostering a harmonious convergence of human creativity and artificial intelligence.

7. AI in Storytelling
Experience the fusion of AI and storytelling through projects like "PoemPortraits" and DALL-E, showcasing AI's ability to enhance narrative and visual elements, amplifying artistic expression.

8. AI and Advertising
Delve into the intersection of AI and advertising, where personalized narratives and real-time content adaptation revolutionize brand-audience connections, albeit with challenges in maintaining originality and engagement.

10. Navigating the AI-Creative Frontier
Embrace the challenges and opportunities of integrating AI into creative workflows, encouraging experimentation, exploration, and innovation to push the boundaries of human creativity.

Join the conversation on the AI-driven frontier of creativity, where technology meets artistry to inspire, challenge, and transform our creative landscape.

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Roy Sharples and Gary Burt explores how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the sports landscape. The key segments cover:

1. AI in Athlete Performance AI seamlessly integrates into athlete development, optimizing performance while respecting coaching traditions.
2. Fan Engagement Revolution AI serves as a co-creator, personalizing fan experiences and revolutionizing sports marketing with augmented and virtual reality.
3. Game Strategy Evolution AI influences strategic decision-making for coaches, optimizing team performance during matches through real-time data analysis.
4. Ethical Considerations in Sports AI discussion addresses privacy and biases, emphasizing transparency, accountability, and fairness in AI applications.
5. Innovation and Collaboration the power of AI in sports lies in collaborative partnerships between the sports industry, technology, and AI specialists.
6. Human-Centric Design in Sports Tech AI enhances the human experience in sports tech by balancing innovation with a human-centric approach, preserving the authenticity of sports for athletes and fans.
7. Case Studies and Success Stories examples showcase how AI positively impacts athlete performance, coaching strategies, and fan engagement.

In conclusion, the podcast provides a roadmap for navigating the transformative forces of AI in sports, inviting listeners to actively engage in a dynamic future where innovation and artificial intelligence redefine the sports experience by exploring the possibilities that AI brings to the game and share information about related content on the Unknown Origins platform.

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Roy Sharples and Gary Burt delve into "Education for the AI-Creative Future," discussing key strategies that for nurturing Creative Thinking in AI education, emphasizing interdisciplinary learning, problem-based assignments, and continuous learning. Preparing the workforce for AI and creative Skills, highlighting continuous learning culture, embracing creativity, and developing soft skills. The role of educational Institutions in adapting to change, advocating global collaboration, cultural competence, and agile curricula, and how to embrace these insights as institutions lead the way for a generation prepared to thrive in the AI-creative future, nurturing technical skills, creativity, and adaptability.

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In a rapidly evolving world shaped by technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the creative industry. Join hosts Roy Sharples and Gary Burt as they uncover the impact of AI on creativity, emphasizing its role as a creative accelerator rather than a replacement for human ingenuity.

Episode Highlights

1. Current Impact of AI on Creativity: Discover how AI augments human capabilities, from accelerating creativity to automating routine tasks, reshaping the creative landscape.
2. Generative and Collaborative Possibilities: Explore the fusion of human intuition and machine intelligence, delving into generative art and music that challenges traditional creative norms.
3. The Future of Creativity and AI: Anticipate a future of hybrid creations, AI in education, and its potential to address global challenges. Witness AI as a creative partner, opening new expressions and enhancing efficiency in creative industries.
4. Challenges and Considerations: Delve into ethical considerations surrounding AI in creativity, addressing bias, privacy concerns, and the importance of diversity in datasets.

Join the conversation as we explore a future where the partnership between human imagination and AI propels creativity into uncharted territories. It's not about machines replacing humans but a harmonious collaboration promising a vibrant, diverse, and transformative future for creativity. 

Music created and performed by Iain Mutch @ copyright 2024

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Gareth Loudon's interest is creativity, combining ideas from anthropology, psychology, engineering, and design, and he has led international transdisciplinary research projects in academia and industry. Gareth is a Professor of Creativity and Head of Programmes at the Royal College of Art for the MA/MSc Innovation Design Engineering and MA/MSc Global Innovation Design, which is run jointly with Imperial College London. Previously Gareth was Associate Dean of Research at the Cardiff School of Art and Design. He has also worked for Apple and Ericsson Research designing and developing new software and computer-embedded products. Gareth is a Chartered Engineer, a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. 

Creativity Without Frontiers available at all relevant book retailers

Stay in touch with Unknown Origins

Music by Iain Mutch

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Attitude. Imagination. Execution. 
Create Without Frontiers.
🌐 www.unknownorigins.com