SIG Workshop: Arts-based methods in social work

Of late, we see a “visual turn “in social sciences in general, and also in social work practice ‎and research. This includes the use of community art, photovoice, outsider art, ‎arts for social change, arts and health, arts to humanize institutions, de-stigmatize minorities, and to ‎give voice to silenced groups). This has extended the use of arts-based research in social work, that will be shown in this workshop to be an especially effective methodology to embody ‎and articulate many of the epistemological aims of social work research.

For example, a central goal in social work is to integrate the knowledge of practitioners and of service users so as to co-produce effective solutions. However, while the theoretical, ethical and practical advantages of co-production of social work knowledge are clear, it requires a method to bridge the differences in power and in culture and forms of knowledge between social workers and service users, and to integrate them into a form of practice. Social workers are acculturated to define a problem and a solution mediated through Western and abstract psychological and social concepts, while members of marginalised groups often make sense of their experience and develop meaning structures using symbolic, narrative and visual forms of expression; This SIG will provide hands on theoretical base, sets of methods and experience in including arts based methods within participants ongoing research.

The aims of the workshop

Firstly: the workshop will provide a theoretical rational for using arts in social work:

Secondly: it will teach methods for using arts as subject, method, or end product of research

Thirdly: it will guide and give feedback to participants in applying these methods to their ongoing or future research projects:

Fourthly: it will create networks and collaborations between new and older arts based researchers, through understanding each other’s aims and ideas, and creating a space for cooperation

Fifthly: it will provide a literature base and understanding of current arts-based research books and projects that will be used in the theoretical introduction;

Participants will leave the workshop with new understandings, skills, and connections, for using arts in their social work practices, teaching and research projects.

All of the presenters have published extensively alone and together in arts based methods in social work, presented together at conferences, and the workshop will be based on their experience in the field:

We will hand out relevant literature and create an ongoing group to share publications and relevant events with the participants.