This study was conducted by an interdisciplinary research team from six different universities in Canada and Australia with the aim to explore ethical dilemmas that multi-partnered research on arts-based interventions to promote social change may pose. Drawing upon five field projects (circus with street youth, theatre by people with disabilities, dance for people with Parkinson’s disease, participatory theatre with refugees and arts-infused dialogue), the research synthesizes existing knowledge and lessons learned on the issue. Besides dealing with ethical concerns outlined in the literature (e.g., related to consent, anonymity, etc.), the study examines the visible and hidden power dynamics that may prevent community partners and university-based teams from participating in knowledge creation in a meaningful way and how such concerns were addressed by the research team.
(full abstract included in the journal article)