Paper presentation at the 41st Social Theory, Politics and the Arts Conference, 10-12 December 2015, University of South Australia, Adelaide.

1. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
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, Adelaide
Dec 2015

2. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
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.

3. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
RESEARCH AIM
IDENTIFY THE QUALITIES AND
MOTIVATIONS BEHIND ARTISTS’
EFFORTS TO ENGAGE PARTICIPANTS IN
THE ARTS.

4. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
OUR PAPER
1. EARLY DAYS – TENTATIVE RESULTS
2. DEFINING THE TERMS
3. PROBLEM OF ARTISTIC VALUE
4. EARLY FINDINGS – 5 X ARTIST MOTIVATIONS
5. RECENT RESEARCH ARTWORKS (PAUL HAMLYN
2015) ON STRENGTHENING PRACTICE IN ARTS
PARTICIPATION

5. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
CONTEXT - PARTICIPATORY ARTS
KNOWN VARIOUSLY AS COMMUNITY ARTS, PARTICIPATORY OR SOCIALLY ENGAGED
ARTS, OR ARTS ENGAGEMENT
THE 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

6. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
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).

7. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
THE PROBLEM OF ARTISTIC VALUE
CLAIRE 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’

8. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
FOR THIS PROJECT
EXAMINATION 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

9. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
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

10. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
TERMS
THROUGH 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

11. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT
M. 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).

12. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS
RESPONDENTS 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.

13. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
IN DEPTH INTERVIEWS
3 X ARTS PROJECTS WITH SCHOOL CHILDREN
1 X COMEDY PROJECT LGBT PERFORMERS WITH
DISABILITIES
1 X DANCE WITH ELDERLY IN CARE
1 X THEATRE AND DANCE PROJECT YOUNG
ADULTS HOUSING ESTATE

14. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
ARTIST MOTIVATIONS
FIVE CATEGORIES THAT RANGE ACROSS ARTISTIC AND SOCIAL
OBJECTIVES. THESE CATEGORIES INCLUDE THE MOTIVATIONS TO:
1. ADDRESS ABSTRACT OR GENERAL SOCIAL ISSUES
2. ADDRESS LOCAL OR SPECIFIC SOCIAL ISSUES
3. GIVE OR SHARE ARTISTIC SKILLS WITH OTHERS
4. IMPROVE INDIVIDUAL ARTISTIC PRACTICE
5. IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE ARTS SECTOR

15. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
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.

16. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
2. ADDRESS LOCAL OR
SPECIFIC SOCIAL ISSUES
INVOLVES THE IDENTIFICATION OF A SPECIFIC
SOCIAL ISSUE THAT THE PROJECT COULD
ADDRESS. FOR EXAMPLE: BUILDING RESILIENCE
FOR DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN

17. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
3. GIVE OR SHARE ARTISTIC SKILLS WITH
OTHERS
9-12 YEAR OLD HEARING
LIAM NEESON EFFECT
THE KNOWLEDGE THAT ARTISTS HAVE
VALUABLE SKILLS THAT CAN BE PASSED
ON, TAUGHT TO OR SHARED WITH OTHERS

18. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
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”

19. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
4.2 IMPROVE INDIVIDUAL
ARTISTIC PRACTICE
PROJECT – 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.”

20. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
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.

21. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
5.1 IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE ARTS
SECTOR
PROJECT – 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”

22. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
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.

23. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
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

24. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
‘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

25. Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B
VALUING PARTICIPATORY WORK
FOLLOWING 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”