Valuing Participation: Why artists initiate participatory arts projects, and how they identify their...

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VALUING PARTICIPATION: WHY ARTISTS INITIATE PARTICIPATORY ARTS PROJECTS, AND HOW THEY IDENTIFY THEIR VALUE

DR KATYA JOHANSON, DR HILARY GLOW AND KIRSTY BAIRD

STP&A Conference, AdelaideDec 2015


THE LIAM NEESON EFFECTWhy do you choose to work in participatory arts?

Have you seen the movie Taken? There’s this famous scene where Liam Neeson picks up the phone and the kidnappers have his daughter. But he says: ‘I spent my life acquiring very specific skills and I’ll find you’. And I think of that when I think about [my work]: I’ve spent my life acquiring these very specific skills and now what I’m interested in is the transference of those skills in creation of that work.


RESEARCH AIMIDENTIFY THE QUALITIES AND MOTIVATIONS BEHIND ARTISTS’ EFFORTS TO ENGAGE PARTICIPANTS IN THE ARTS.


OUR PAPER1. EARLY DAYS – TENTATIVE RESULTS2. DEFINING THE TERMS3. PROBLEM OF ARTISTIC VALUE4. EARLY FINDINGS – 5 X ARTIST MOTIVATIONS5. RECENT RESEARCH ARTWORKS (PAUL HAMLYN 2015)

ON STRENGTHENING PRACTICE IN ARTS PARTICIPATION


CONTEXT - PARTICIPATORY ARTSKNOWN VARIOUSLY AS COMMUNITY ARTS, PARTICIPATORY OR SOCIALLY ENGAGED ARTS, OR ARTS ENGAGEMENTTHE SHIFT FROM ONE TERM OR FRAMEWORK TO ANOTHER REPRESENTS CHANGING IDEAS ABOUT THE ARTS AND DEMOCRACY, WITH EACH CONSECUTIVE POLICY FRAMEWORK IDENTIFYING AN IDEALISED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS AND THE NON-PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY IN WHICH THEIR WORK IS SITUATED“THESE PRACTICES ARE… INTERESTED IN THE CREATIVE REWARDS OF COLLABORATIVE ACTIVITY – WHETHER IN THE FORM OF WORKING WITH PRE-EXISTING COMMUNITIES OR ESTABLISHING ONE’S OWN INTERDISCIPLINARY NETWORK”. CLAIRE BISHOP


THE PROBLEM OF ARTISTIC VALUE• SYSTEMATICALLY MISSING FROM THE LITERATURE ON SOCIALLY ENGAGED ARTS

PRACTICE IS CRITICAL ATTENTION TO THEIR ARTISTIC VALUES (BADHAM 2010 84).

• MIWON KWON : ‘CONCERNED TO INTEGRATE ART MORE DIRECTLY INTO THE REALM OF THE SOCIAL, EITHER IN ORDER TO REDRESS (IN AN ACTIVIST SENSE) URGENT SOCIAL PROBLEMS SUCH AS THE ECOLOGICAL CRISIS, HOMELESSNESS, AIDS, HOMOPHOBIA, RACISM, AND SEXISM, OR MORE GENERALLY IN ORDER TO RELATIVIZE ART AS ONE AMONG MANY FORMS OF CULTURAL WORK…[AND THEY] TEND TO TREAT AESTHETIC ..CONCERNS AS SECONDARY ISSUES’ (1997: 91).


THE PROBLEM OF ARTISTIC VALUECLAIRE BISHOP : ‘THERE CAN BE NO FAILED, UNSUCCESSFUL, UNRESOLVED OR BORING WORKS OF COLLABORATIVE ART BECAUSE ALL ARE EQUALLY ESSENTIAL TO THE TASK OF STRENGTHENING THE SOCIAL BOND. WHILE I AM BROADLY SYMPATHETIC TO THAT AMBITION, I WOULD ARGUE THAT IT IS ALSO CRUCIAL TO DISCUSS, ANALYSE, AND COMPARE SUCH WORK CRITICALLY AS ART’


FOR THIS PROJECTEXAMINATION OF ARTISTS’ MOTIVATIONS IN PRODUCING PARTICIPATORY WORKS IS ONE PIECE OF THE CULTURAL VALUE JIGSAW PUZZLE;

IT IS ONE ASPECT OF THE QUESTION OF HOW TO UNDERSTAND/ANALYSE THE VALUE AND IMPACTS CREATED BY PARTICIPATORY ARTS PRACTICES


WHO AND WHAT?PROJECT INVOLVED:• COLLABORATION BETWEEN 2 ACADEMICS AND KIRSTY

BAIRD, A COMMUNITY ARTS OFFICER INTERESTED IN SCOPE AND DIVERSITY OF ARTISTS IN PARTICIPATORY PROJECTS

• ON-LINE ARTIST SURVEY (N = 247) • IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS WITH 16 ARTISTS – OUR FOCUS

FOR THIS PAPER


TERMSTHROUGH THE SURVEY• WE ESTABLISHED A SIZEABLE COMMUNITY OF

PRACTICE/PRACTITIONERS – IE PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS WHO SELF DESCRIBE AS WORKING (ALL OR SOME OF THE TIME) IN PARTICIPATORY ARTS

• WE ASKED RESPONDENTS TO FRAME THEIR OWN DEFINITION OF ARTS PARTICIPATION

• THE TERM SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT EMERGED AS THE KEY FRAMEWORK


SOCIAL ENGAGEMENTM. BADHAM 2014• SOCIALLY ENGAGED ARTS INTEND TO

CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIAL CHANGE AND TO • ‘FACILITATE INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES

IN ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN THEIR CULTURAL IDENTITY’ (BADHAM 2014: 86).


IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWSRESPONDENTS WERE ASKED:• PURPOSES IN INITIATING OR BECOMING

INVOLVED IN SOCIALLY ENGAGED PRACTICE,• HOW THEY DEFINE VALUE EITHER IN

RELATION TO THEIR OWN PRACTICE OR TO THE ARTFORM IN WHICH IT SITS.


IN DEPTH INTERVIEWS3 X ARTS PROJECTS WITH SCHOOL CHILDREN1 X COMEDY PROJECT LGBT PERFORMERS WITH DISABILITIES1 X DANCE WITH ELDERLY IN CARE1 X THEATRE AND DANCE PROJECT YOUNG ADULTS HOUSING ESTATE


ARTIST MOTIVATIONSFIVE CATEGORIES THAT RANGE ACROSS ARTISTIC AND SOCIAL OBJECTIVES. THESE CATEGORIES INCLUDE THE MOTIVATIONS TO:1. ADDRESS ABSTRACT OR GENERAL SOCIAL ISSUES2. ADDRESS LOCAL OR SPECIFIC SOCIAL ISSUES3. GIVE OR SHARE ARTISTIC SKILLS WITH OTHERS4. IMPROVE INDIVIDUAL ARTISTIC PRACTICE5. IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE ARTS SECTOR


1. ADDRESS ABSTRACT OR GENERAL SOCIAL ISSUES• ARTS PROJECTS ADDRESS SOCIAL NEEDS - FACILITATED

BY THE PARTICIPATORY PROCESS IN THE ART-MAKING. • COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS CAN ALLOW THE ARTISTIC

PRODUCT TO PROVIDE NEW INSIGHTS INTO SHARED SOCIAL PROBLEMS

• THE COMMUNITY IS SEEN AS A RESOURCE FOR NEW WAYS OF THINKING.


2. ADDRESS LOCAL OR SPECIFIC SOCIAL ISSUESINVOLVES THE IDENTIFICATION OF A SPECIFIC SOCIAL ISSUE THAT THE PROJECT COULD ADDRESS. FOR EXAMPLE: BUILDING RESILIENCE FOR DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN


3. GIVE OR SHARE ARTISTIC SKILLS WITH OTHERS9-12 YEAR OLD HEARINGLIAM NEESON EFFECTTHE KNOWLEDGE THAT ARTISTS HAVE VALUABLE SKILLS THAT CAN BE PASSED ON, TAUGHT TO OR SHARED WITH OTHERS


4.1 IMPROVE INDIVIDUAL ARTISTIC PRACTICE

PROJECT – THEATRE GROUP 9-11 YEAR OLDS WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENTS

“I ASKED LACHLAN – WHO WAS A NINE-YEAR-OLD LITTLE REBEL AND MY CULT FIGURE OF THE CAST, FLUENT IN AUSLAN BUT NEVER LET ON THAT HE WAS – I ASKED HIM WHAT SHOW WOULD HE LIKE TO SEE AND HE WROTE ‘THE BLOOD!! DEATH!! SHOW’. AND I THOUGHT, ‘YES, I WANT TO SEE THIS SHOW NOW, AND I WANT TO MAKE THIS SHOW. I WANT TO MAKE IT IN COLLABORATION WITH NINE- TO ELEVEN-YEAR-OLDS”


4.2 IMPROVE INDIVIDUAL ARTISTIC PRACTICEPROJECT – WORKING IN RESIDENTIAL CARE FACILTIES WITH THE ELDERLY ON A DANCE PROJECT “I COMPLETELY CHANGED MY APPROACH AND MADE IT MUCH MORE ABOUT BEING IN THE MOMENT, AND HAVING PERMISSION TO PLAY. AND THAT WAS JUST A REAL SHIFT FOR ME. I REALISED HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS, BECAUSE I’M CONSTANTLY FEELING AS IF THERE’S NOT ENOUGH LEVITY IN EVERYDAY LIFE.”


4.3 IMPROVE INDIVIDUAL ARTISTIC PRACTICE• PARTICIPATION = MEANS OF ASSISTING ARTISTS TO

ROAD-TEST ARTISTIC PRODUCTS WITH AUDIENCES PRIOR TO THE PROJECT’S COMPLETION

• PARTICIPATION PROVIDED THEM WITH KNOWLEDGE OR INSPIRATION THAT IMPROVED THEIR OWN PRACTICE.

• PARTICIPATION IMPACTS ON ARTISTS’ OWN LEARNING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.


5.1 IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE ARTS SECTORPROJECT – MOBILISING RESIDENTS FROM A PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATE TO DEVELOP A PRODUCTION FOR A MAINSTREAM THEATRE“I FEEL THAT IF WE’RE GOING TO SUSTAIN THE SOCIAL RELEVANCE OF THEATRE, IT’S IMPORTANT TO ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT ISSUES OF CIVIC RELEVANCE. I FEEL LIKE WE’VE LOST THE CIVIC DISCOURSE IN OUR THEATRES. IT’S JUST ENTERTAINMENT AND TWO-DIMENSIONAL”


5.2 IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE ARTS SECTOR• EXPRESSED FEELINGS OF NEGATIVITY ABOUT WHAT THEY CONSIDERED TO BE

CONVENTIONAL ARTS PRACTICES• SEE SOCIALLY ENGAGED ARTS AS ESSENTIAL TO INVIGORATING THE SECTOR AND

RESTORING ITS CULTURAL RELEVANCE• IN SOME INSTANCES, PARTICIPATORY ARTS WERE SEEN AS A FORM OF R&D FOR

THE PERFORMING ARTS: BY BRINGING AUDIENCES INTO THE CONCEPTION AND PRODUCTION OF AN EVENT, PARTICIPATORY PRACTICE FACILITATED INNOVATION AS WELL OPERATING AS A FORM OF MARKET RESEARCH.

• ARTISTS SAW THEMSELVES AS PROVIDING A BRIDGE BETWEEN COMMUNITIES WHO WERE UNFAMILIAR WITH CONVENTIONAL ARTS ORGANISATIONS, AND THE ORGANISATIONS THEMSELVES.


WHY DOES THIS MATTER?THE AIM OF OUR RESEARCH IS NOT SO MUCH TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE OF ARTISTIC MERIT IN SOCIALLY ENGAGED ARTS PRACTICE, BUT RATHER TO GET CLOSER TO IT BY EXAMINING ARTISTS’ MOTIVATIONS AND PERCEPTIONS OF THE VALUE OF PARTICIPATORY PRACTICE


‘ARTWORKS’ PAUL HAMLYN FOUNDATION 2015

THE PRACTICE OF ARTS IN PARTICIPATORY SETTINGS HAS EVOLVED IN RECENT YEARS. SUCH WORK IS A POSITIVE CAREER CHOICE: MANY ARTISTS SEE IT AS FUNDAMENTAL TO THEIR PRACTICE.…[BUT]…PRACTITIONERS HAVE NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS A COLLECTIVE VOICE.

THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES:• TO DELIVER MORE VALUE FOR INVESTMENT IN THE ARTS IN PARTICIPATORY

SETTINGS;• GAIN NEW VALIDATION AND RESPECT FOR PARTICIPATORY WORK; AND• DELIVER EVEN BETTER EXPERIENCES FOR THE PEOPLE TAKING PART


VALUING PARTICIPATORY WORKFOLLOWING THE CALL MADE BY ARTWORKS…

OUR WORK OF IDENTIFYING THE QUALITIES AND MOTIVATIONS BEHIND ARTISTS’ PRACTICE IN ARTS PARTICIPATION PROJECTS

IS PART OF THE PROCESS ACKNOWLEDGING THAT VALUING PARTICIPATORY WORK MEANS VALUING THE ARTISTS WHO DELIVER IT.

ARTWORKS: “BUILDING ON [A] SHARED UNDERSTANDING, WE CAN RAISE ARTS IN PARTICIPATORY SETTINGS TO NEW LEVELS OF CONFIDENCE, RECOGNITION AND AMBITION, DEVELOPING A STRONG COLLECTIVE VOICE TO MATCH STRONG COLLECTIVE PRACTICE”

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