Creative experts seek to create an advocacy strategy for collaboration between higher education and cultural institutions
Pictured: Professor Carolina Rito.
Wednesday 18 August 2021
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Researchers and practitioners across the higher education and creative sectors came together as part of a Coventry University event to discuss opportunities for developing new research methodologies to support the cultural sector.
This comes at a time where the challenges posed by the pandemic have had massive impacts on culture and the creative industries, with 60% of UK museums fearing that they will have to close their doors for good.
The event, entitled ‘Practice Research: Interdisciplinary methodologies in Cultural and Higher Education Institutions’ was supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and organised by Carolina Rito, Professor of Creative Practice Research in Coventry University’s Centre for Arts, Memory and Communities (CAMC) and Anthony Downey, Professor of Visual Culture in the Middle East and North Africa at Birmingham City University.
Talks were delivered by a range of artists, curators and directors of cultural organisations, each exploring how artistic research contributes new knowledge across disciplinary and organisational boundaries.
Keynote speakers included leading practitioners from national creative institutions, including Michael Schwab, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal for Artistic Research and Emily Pringle, Head of Research at the Tate museums and galleries.
Pringle’s talk in particular focused on the impact the pandemic has had on art museums and the importance, now more than ever, for institutions to work together to enforce positive changes in the sector.
Following the event, lead researchers are setting up an international working group to develop an advocacy strategy for collaborations across the sectors and deliver a workshop series with international stakeholders.
Research lead Carolina Rito is also working on a complementary piece of research investigating Black curating in contemporary art centres in the Midlands, a project which puts such collaborative efforts into practice.
At the Practice Research Symposium, cultural practitioners and academics demonstrated the importance of a collaborative approach to artistic and cultural practices within and outside of academia. More importantly, how these collaborations are to provide a fruitful alternative to our modes of working post-pandemic.
Professor Carolina Rito
For more information, contact Professor Carolina Rito.
Find out more about the Centre for Arts, Memory and Communities.
