Exploring the Intersection of Research, Identity Formation and Artmaking in an Arts-based Research Project
Exploring the Intersection of Research, Identity Formation and Artmaking in an Arts-based Research Project

Summary/Abstract: The article presents findings of a collaborative arts-based research project titled “A Journey to Utopia” undertaken by a group of early-career sociologists and artists. By examining qualitative data collected throughout the project, the article aims to illuminate unprecedented outcomes of arts-based research engagement and its impact on emerging artists. The project facilitated professional identity exploration and reflexivity, revealing the intricate and delicate process of becoming an artist. The crucial findings demonstrate the mutually beneficial effects of collaborative artsbased research. The study found that initially none of the research participants selfidentified as artists, and it was only through external validation during the project that they subsequently internalised and accepted this label. Artists discovered new approaches to the creative process, lending from researchers the ability to scrutinise every aspect of the issue and engage in perpetual reflexivity. Undertaking arts-based research gave artists the vocabulary to express themselves and the ability to conceive and actualize their ideas in a more grounded manner.

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