A Gentle Inquiry into Dark Matter in Arts-based Research

Making invisible care visible. Ethics and aesthetics of care in participatory arts practices in times of COVID-19

“…Jayne Lloyd ( 2020 , 211) describes artists as having a kind of sensory attunement and aesthetic sensibility, enabling them to facilitate a specific kind of relational care. In line with this, Clive Parkinson ( 2017 , 160) states that the arts go beyond physical care and that ‘it is perhaps artists who are best placed to help us understand what it is to be human, to have a finite life, to seek meaning in frailty and impose order on the chaos of existence’. If we can see artistic practices in this light instead of attempting to evaluate them in medicalised terms, he argues the arts might offer ‘humanistic guidance’ to traditional care workers surrounding ageing individuals (Parkinson 2017 , 155).…”

“…In line with this, Clive Parkinson ( 2017 , 160) states that the arts go beyond physical care and that ‘it is perhaps artists who are best placed to help us understand what it is to be human, to have a finite life, to seek meaning in frailty and impose order on the chaos of existence’. If we can see artistic practices in this light instead of attempting to evaluate them in medicalised terms, he argues the arts might offer ‘humanistic guidance’ to traditional care workers surrounding ageing individuals (Parkinson 2017 , 155). Especially in times of crisis, we thought, we might be able to empirically explore what these type of ideas about the caring practice artists can provide, look like in real life, in times of hardship.…”

“…Fancourt and Finn 2019 ). However, Parkinson ( 2017 , 148) argues cultural value and the value of participatory arts practices with older people should be understood through its own language. In this article we further this latter perspective and aim to contribute to the body of literature containing empirical and ontological studies considering the unique role participatory arts processes can play in ensuring the social engagement of older people (i.e.…”