A Qualitative Study of Arts-Based Engagement in the Artitude Project

Background
This presentation shares insights from Connecting Through Creativity, a qualitative study within the Artitude: Climate, Culture & Circularity project. Based in the Derry and Strabane City Councils Artitude uses place-based, arts-based approaches (ABA) approaches where socially engaged artists co-create with communities to unpack climate and sustainability. As a common factor in community-based research, ABA values creative, participatory knowledge-making over traditional, top-down approaches.

Aim & Objective
This project investigates the use of ABA within Artitude through three core questions-

1. How does ABA and creativity more generally facilitate engagement and learning in climate and sustainability?
2. What are community responses to ABA?
3. What are the practical considerations when running climate engagement projects using ABA?

Methodology
Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and observational data across a range of Artitude events. Participants were categorised into three groups and recruited via purposive and expert sampling:

• Group 1: Project professionals
• Group 2: Participating artists
• Group 3: Community participants

Due to potential conflicts with the researcher being a project member reflexivity was prioritised through journaling, NVivo memos and collaborative recruitment to mitigate bias; a common practice in  endogenous research.

Analysis
Thematic analysis was guided by Braun and Clarke’s six-phase framework.  Analysis was iterative and recursive, and themes were revisited as each group was interviewed. Preliminary findings suggest ABA can make climate conversations more accessible, particularly for communities often excluded from policy-driven initiatives. Participants  also highlighted art’s helping to express emotions around climate. Trust-building emerged as essential; meaning artists needed to establish rapport with communities before creative work began.

Conclusion
This study, underscores the value of qualitative methods in capturing impacts of ABA in climate engagement. Findings will inform a creative output which will be co-produced with Artitude. This presentation reflects on qualitative research as both a tool for understanding ABA and a gateway to creative dissemination.