Arts-based research

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Introduction

Arts-based research integrates artistic activities within a research process. For some authors it means that the researcher uses his own artistic expression as means of enquiry, i.e. close to the sense of "artistic knowing". For others it also includes art-based action research, i.e. the use of art in action-oriented research that aims at "change through art".

For most authors, arts-based research is different from arts-based enquiry, i.e. the study of the art produced by subjects, and arts-based science communication, i.e. the use of arts to communicate scientific findings [1], arts-based education [2], etc.

See also:

Definitions


Art-based research can be defined as the systematic use of the artistic process, the actual making of artistic expressions in all of the different forms of the arts, as a primary way of understanding and examining experience by both researchers and the people that they involve in their studies. These inquiries are distinguished from research activities where the arts may play a significant role but are essentially used as data for investigations that take place within academic disciplines that utilize more traditional scientific, verbal, and mathematic descriptions and analyses of phenomena.

-- Shaun McNiff, 2008 [3]


The last decades have witnessed a renewed interest in the role of arts in science and the growing hybridization between the two. An illustration of this is the emergence of arts-based research practices. As Chilton (2013) remarks, there is a whole plethora of terms that refer to approaches that embrace the arts in social research. These approaches can be seen as a research continuum: from Eisner’s arts-based educational research (ABER) in the 1970s to arts-based research (ABR) adopted in the 1990s (Barone and Eisner 2012; McNiff 2008), which also represents an umbrella for other approaches like arts-informed research (Knowles and Cole 2008; CAIR 2000) and A/r/tography (Springgay et al. 2008).

-- Heras & Tàbara, 2014[4]


Art-based research is defined as the use of personal expression in various art forms as a primary mode of enquiry. These studies may accompany or include the artistic expressions of others but their unique feature is the making of art by the researcher.

-- McNiff, S., 2013 [5]


Arts-based research is an approach to research that we define as a method designed to enlarge human understanding... the aim is to create an expressive form that will enable an individual to secure an empathetic participation in the lives of others and in the situations studied.

-- Barone and Eisner, 2012, 8-9 [6]

Arts-based action research

“Arts-based action research is a blanket term that refers to the use of the arts, in various forms, as the basis for inquiry, intervention, knowledge production and/or information sharing. As a research method, arts-based approaches consist of the merging of the conventions of ‘traditional’ qualitative methodologies with those of the arts to allow for deeper research insight, interpretation, meaning making and creative expression, and alternative knowledges and ways of knowing....” (Wilson & flicker, 2014). [7]

Gurberlet et al. (2017) [8] describe a study where “Worldwide, participatory action research along with arts-based methodologies has been applied in the context of marginalized groups to spark dialogue amongst participants with the ultimate goal of promoting social change.”

Arts based educational research

A definition form the Arts Based Educational Research (retrieved Jan 2018) Special Interest Group includes both arts-based inquiry and communication. “Arts Based Education Research aims to understand education through arts-based concepts, techniques and practice. Practitioners use a variety of arts-based methodologies to undertake their research and / or to communicate their understanding through such diverse genres as autobiography, narrative, poetry, visual arts, drama, dance, music and performance.”

Forms of Art

Any art form can be used. Popular methods (to be confirmed) seem to be

References and bibliography

Cited

  1. Kukkonen, T., & Cooper, A. (2017). An arts-based knowledge translation (ABKT) planning framework for researchers. Evidence & Policy: A Journal of Research, Debate and Practice. https://doi.org/10.1332/174426417X15006249072134
  2. http://ojs.library.ubc.ca/index.php/ijeta
  3. McNiff S (2008) Arts-based research. In: Knowles JG, Cole AL (eds) Handbook of the arts in qualitative research: perspective, methodologies, example and issues. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, pp 83–92
  4. Heras, M. & Tàbara, J.D. (2014) Let’s play transformations! Performative methods for sustainability, Sustainability Science (2014) 9: 379. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-014-0245-9
  5. McNiff, S. (2013). Introduction: A critical focus on art-based research. Journal of Applied Arts & Health, 4(1), 5-12.
  6. Barone T, Eisner EW (eds) (2012) Arts based research. Sage Publications, Los Angeles
  7. Wilson, Ciann & Flicker, Sarah (2014) Arts-based action-research. In Coghlan, D. & Brydon-Miller, M. (2014). The SAGE encyclopedia of action research (Vols. 1-2). London, : SAGE Publications Ltd doi: 10.4135/9781446294406
  8. Gutberlet J., de Oliveira B.J., Tremblay C. (2017) Arts-Based and Participatory Action Research with Recycling Cooperatives. In: Rowell L., Bruce C., Shosh J., Riel M. (eds) The Palgrave International Handbook of Action Research. Palgrave Macmillan, New York

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  • Barone, T. (2008). How arts-based research can change minds. In Melisa Cahnmann-Taylor & Richard Siegesmund (eds.), Arts-Based Research in Education: Foundations for Practice. Routledge (2008)
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Links

  • ABR Links in Arts Based Research Studio's Blog