How should we assess 'quality' in the participatory arts? Toby Lowe shares the issues that artists raised when invited to reflect on the quality of their own practice.
At some point, discussions about cultural value will inevitably turn to the idea of ‘quality’ – because we are bound to value the cultural experiences which we feel are good.
The question of quality in any arts discipline is tricky, as there is a hefty chunk of subjectivity in all such conversations. And, when thinking about participatory arts – meaning the range of arts practice in which an artist (of any medium) facilitates a creative process with people – then the trickiness of such conversations seems to be magnified. This has led many people to shy away from having these conversations.
And yet it doesn’t have to be this way – we can, and we should, have these conversations. Why? Because participatory arts is the artistic discipline that most frequently asks the question: ‘who gets to make art?... Keep reading on The Cultural Value Initiative
At some point, discussions about cultural value will inevitably turn to the idea of ‘quality’ – because we are bound to value the cultural experiences which we feel are good.
The question of quality in any arts discipline is tricky, as there is a hefty chunk of subjectivity in all such conversations. And, when thinking about participatory arts – meaning the range of arts practice in which an artist (of any medium) facilitates a creative process with people – then the trickiness of such conversations seems to be magnified. This has led many people to shy away from having these conversations.
And yet it doesn’t have to be this way – we can, and we should, have these conversations. Why? Because participatory arts is the artistic discipline that most frequently asks the question: ‘who gets to make art?... Keep reading on The Cultural Value Initiative