Practice Research: Practice research initiatives

Several initiatives have recently emerged with the aim of increasing the visibility and accessibility of practice research in the UK.

Practice Research Advisory Group UK (PRAG-UK) 

PRAG-UK is a body established by members of the HE arts research community to increase the visibility and accessibility of UK practice research and its impact, and to make this research more searchable internationally.

PRAG-UK commissioned two reports authored by our former colleagues in the Library James Bulley and Ozden Sahin that provide insights and recommendations to practice researchers, and to the organisations and professionals that support practice research:

Bulley, James and Sahin, Ozden. (2021). Practice Research - Report 1: What is practice research? and Report 2: How can practice research be shared?. Practice Research Advisory Group UK (PRAG-UK)

SPARKLE

SPARKLE was an AHRC-funded project based at University of Leeds, scoping the development of a national repository for practice research. The project aimed to ‘identify the foundations for a UK practice research infrastructure that will increase visibility, recognition, and support for world-leading practice research’.

Jackson, T., Knowles, C., McLaughlin, S. et al. (2023) Sustaining Practice Assets for Research, Knowledge, Learning and Engagement (SPARKLE): Final Report and Recommendations. University of Leeds

PR Voices

PR (Practice Research) Voices was an AHRC funded project that brought together libraries and information researchers, with practice researchers in areas of art and design, architecture, and other practice research areas in order to define the technical and academic challenges of an Open Library of Practice Research (OLPR) and to determine the most efficient and successful route by building upon existing infrastructure and follow the fundamental principles of open access.

Jenny Evans, Adam Vials Moore, Helen Bailey, Jenny Basford, Rachael Kotarski, Joshua Mead, Holly Ranger and Neal White (2023). Practice Research Voices (PRVOICES): Final report and recommendations. University of Westminster

Artist Citizens Jury

Artist Citizens Jury, was a two-day event and project devised by artists Elizabeth Price (Kingston School of Art) and Nina Wakeford (Goldsmiths, University of London). Based on the model of a Citizens Jury, a form of participatory action research widely used in public and civic settings, the Artist Citizens Jury worked as a group to consider the following questions:

Given the presence of artists in universities, and the recognition of practice-led research, how can parity be ensured with other disciplines? How can the allocation of research funding support art in universities?

Elizabeth Price and Nina Wakeford (2023), Document of the testimony, deliberation and reflection of the Artist Citizens Jury 2022. Goldsmiths CCA.