About Us

Our Mission

The foundation came into existence at the beginning of the 21st century, inspired by Benjamin Franklin and his relentless curiosity, his inventive work in diverse fields, his tenacity in maintaining an independent, yet flexible point of view, and his devotion to public service.

The Creativity Foundation is dedicated to recognizing creative and gifted individuals, and encouraging them to share what they have discovered about creativity with one another and with the public.  Our aim is to spark the curiosity, imagination and originality of future leaders in our communities.

The Junto

In 1727, Ben Franklin brought together a group of young tradesmen for mutual self-improvement, and named this group the Junto (from the Latin “to join” not Junta, a small revolutionary group seizing power).  Franklin’s Junto acted as a forum for founding institutions, for writing and publishing critical pamphlets, and for becoming the honest broker of creative ideas not aligned with or encumbered by religious, political or royal affiliations.

On January 17, 2000, the 294th anniversary of Benjamin Franklin’s birth, Benjamin Franklin Kahn and several of his most ingenious acquaintances reconvened the Junto with other very distinguished men and women at the peaks of accomplishment in their own disciplines.  More…

This Junto has two primary initiatives:

The Laureate Program

The Laureate Program recognizes extraordinarily accomplished individuals who continue to explore and share the development of their own creative thinking in the arts, sciences, humanities, business, and public service.  More…

Our Previous Laureates

2009 Lisa Randall
2008 Meryl Streep
2007 Ted Turner
2006 Jules Feiffer
2005 Sandra Day O’Connor
2004 Eric Kandel
2003 Daniel Patrick Moynihan
2002 Yo-Yo Ma

The Legacy Prize

The Legacy Prize is awarded annually to a select group of students who show great promise, creativity, and dedication in their fields. This prize is given in the spirit of Ben Franklin’s original Legacy Prize. More…

Our Legacy Institutions

These institutions participate in the selection of our Legacy winners. 

Science

Intel Science Talent Search-Seaborg Prize

Humanities and Service

The Friends of National History Day
Phillips Brooks House at Harvard University

Performing Arts

Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Washington, D.C.
Longy School of Music, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Entrepreneurship

The Samuel Zell and Robert Lurie Real Estate Center of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania