Participatory art involves engaging research partners in creating art works that support their particular research objectives. The arts-based approach is based on the skills and or interests of community partners, and can also include some sort of arts education component. For example, the community artists might want to learn a new artistic skill which can be facilitated through the research partnership. Professional artists can also be engaged in projects and contribute works or collaborate with researchers and community partners to produce art works.

This piece is part of a community-based action research project with the purpose of engaging the community cross-culturally to explore values and connections to land. The mosaic represented connections to land through imagery, words and symbols, connected by the Turtle Island creation story. The test-tube instillation featured a variety of objects which can be categorized by poems, material culture and objects form the land. Click below to view a short film about the process:

This piece was an extension of the focus group theme: “what does caring for country mean to you”. The purpose in this endeavor was to explore the meanings of the environmental and resources, and aspirations for country with Traditional Owners.

Traditional Owner artists who worked on Caring for country acrylic on canvas (from bottom left clockwise): Gwen Hodges, Sally Murray, Theresa Beeron, Dena Leo, Christine George, Leonard Andy, John Murray, Emily Murray, and Ninney Murray. Not in the photo: Glyniss Geesu, Evelyn Ivey, Penny Ivey, Phylicia Murray, and Troy Whelan. (Photo: Rod Neilson; September 1st 2009)