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Practice as Research Approaches to Creative Arts Enquiry: A Comprehensive Guide

Giovanni Mitchell

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Practice as Research (PAR) is a research approach that emphasizes the creative process as a form of inquiry. PAR researchers use creative practice to generate new knowledge and insights about the world. This approach is often used in the creative arts, such as music, art, dance, and theater, but it can also be applied to other disciplines, such as education, health, and social work.

Practice as Research: Approaches to Creative Arts Enquiry

by Janet Wilcox

4.8 out of 5

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There are many different ways to do PAR. Some researchers use creative practice as a way to explore their own personal experiences. Others use it to engage with social and political issues. Still others use it to develop new ways of teaching and learning.

PAR is a valuable research approach because it allows researchers to generate new knowledge and insights that would not be possible through traditional research methods. It is also a highly collaborative approach, which can lead to new and innovative ways of thinking about the world.

History of PAR

The PAR approach has its roots in the early 20th century, when artists and educators began to question the traditional Trennung von Kunst und Wissenschaft (separation of art and science). This Trennung had led to a narrow and restrictive view of what could be considered "research" and "knowledge." PAR researchers argued that creative practice was a legitimate form of inquiry, and that it could produce valuable new knowledge about the world.

The PAR approach gained momentum in the 1970s and 1980s, as artists and educators began to experiment with new ways of using creative practice in research. This period saw the development of a number of different PAR methodologies, such as autoethnography, participatory action research, and community-based research.

Today, the PAR approach is widely used in the creative arts and other disciplines. It is recognized as a legitimate and valuable research approach that can generate new knowledge and insights about the world.

Applications of PAR

The PAR approach can be applied to a wide range of creative arts disciplines, including:

Music
Art
Dance
Theater
Film
Photography
Writing

PAR can also be applied to other disciplines, such as:

Education
Health
Social work

The PAR approach can be used to explore a wide range of topics, such as:

Personal experiences
Social and political issues
New ways of teaching and learning
New ways of understanding the world

Benefits of PAR

There are many benefits to using the PAR approach in creative arts enquiry. Some of these benefits include:

New knowledge and insights: PAR can generate new knowledge and insights about the world that would not be possible through traditional research methods.
Collaboration: PAR is a highly collaborative approach, which can lead to new and innovative ways of thinking about the world.
Personal growth: PAR can be a transformative experience for researchers, helping them to develop new skills and insights into themselves and the world around them.

Challenges of PAR

There are also some challenges to using the PAR approach in creative arts enquiry. Some of these challenges include:

Rigor: PAR research can be difficult to evaluate using traditional research criteria. This is because PAR research often involves subjective and qualitative data, which can be difficult to measure and compare.
Funding: PAR research can be expensive to conduct, as it often requires the use of specialized equipment and materials.
Time: PAR research can be time-consuming to conduct, as it often requires a long period of time for the researcher to develop their creative practice and generate new knowledge and insights.

The PAR approach is a valuable research approach that can generate new knowledge and insights about the world. It is a highly collaborative and transformative approach that can help researchers to develop new skills and insights into themselves and the world around them. However, there are also some challenges to using the PAR approach, such as rigor, funding, and time. Researchers who are considering using the PAR approach should be aware of these challenges and plan accordingly.

References

Barone, T. (2010). Practice as research in the arts: Theory, method, and application. Intellect Books.
Borgdorff, H., & Tangeland, K. (2016). Artistic research: Practices, theories, methods. Routledge.
Lather, P. (2013). Getting lost: Feminist efforts toward a二重/multiple autoethnography. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 26(6),663-675.
Schön, D. A. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. Basic Books.

Practice as Research: Approaches to Creative Arts Enquiry

by Janet Wilcox

4.8 out of 5