Summary

Using artistry in evaluation practice provides opportunities for generating data and joint analysis that represent participants lived experiences. Artistic forms of data bring with them intellectual and moral purposes by offering experiential data processes that can provoke transformation. We will explore how augmenting traditional forms of data collection with arts-informed inquiry can positively contribute to evaluation understanding, community development and capacity building. Arts-informed inquiry is a form of co-creation that can be applied in program evaluation contexts where the power of people working together is believed to deepen understandings and commitment to programmatic concerns and experiences. By engaging in multiple arts-informed strategies participants will have an opportunity to learn about, apply and work through some of successes as well as the challenges inherent in expanding evaluation methodology.

Learning Objectives:

• How to augment traditional approaches to qualitative data collection to include arts-informed techniques. Arts-informed techniques will include drawing, photo-documentation, image elicitation, comic strips, poetic voice and collage.
• How/when to use arts-informed inquiry to reach multiple audiences in diverse contexts. We will consider contexts where arts-informed approaches are appropriate to develop relationships, facilitate understanding and enrich participatory processes.
• That arts-informed facilitation builds interpersonal and collaborative skills in ways that enhance the accessibility of evaluation. A range of strategies will be explored to promote engagement in processes and mobilization of evaluation findings.

Facilitator

Michelle Searle

Michelle holds the CE designation with extensive experience working with evaluation, education and the Arts. Her work in arts-informed inquiry has unfolded over a decade; She earned awards from both CES and AEA recognizing its potential in evaluation. In 2016, she published an article in CJPE to show how we can enhance understanding of human complexities through alternative processes. She holds a Doctorate focused on theorizing about arts-informed inquiry and a Master’s degree in collaboration.

Schedule | Saturday, May 26 from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Language | English

Level | Beginner

Prerequisites | N/A