By Cláudia Pedra, Managing Partner at Stone Soup* and Inji Elabd Principal Consultant at Stone Soup**
Participatory and arts-based methods are serious methods. Sceptics believe otherwise. As defenders of art-based methods will let the evidence speak for itself.
Detractors spill misconceptions and throw away sayings such us:
“it won’t work in a serious setting”
“only the highly educated can participate”
“only artistic people can participate”
As firm believers in the power of arts-based methods, as facilitators, researchers and evaluators we have had the privilege to witness the impact of such methods. Drawing, collage, simple sculpting and construction, photography, and video have allowed us to approach abstract and complex topics with almost everyone. We have used them with children, migrant people, people with disabilities, with NGO staff, with boards of directors of large NGOs, and within teams with strong power dynamics. We have also used it to work with victims of trauma, and others that found in art a safe haven to express themselves.
Still not a believer? We’ll take you through the journey with us.
Photo Credit: artisan group AAAPRM
The journey to be a believer
Case Study 1 – Researching political capture and economic Inequality in agricultural and artisanal value chains in Mexico
Scope: Oxfam Mexico commissioned a team of consultants, among them Inji Elabd, to explore the economic realities of women artisans and farmers in rural Mexico. The goal was to a) identify practices of political capture economic inequalities that they were subjected to (powerful stakeholders using their influence and their resources to extract more gain from the value chains); b) use findings to support Oxfam’s advocacy efforts, and c) produce infographics for a consumer campaign encouraging ethical consumption.
Tools: The consulting team employed three main approaches. a) body mapping allowed participants to outline their own silhouettes and fill them with symbols representing emotions, aspirations, and challenges. b) Photovoice was used to document everyday situations, revealing both challenges and opportunities. c) illustrated value chains were prepared for data collection and examined in validation sessions with women artisans and farmers. In the validation sessions, gender-specific barriers were identified in the different value chains.
Outcomes: As a result of combining body mapping, photovoice, and illustrated maps, the consultants and research participants co-created a nuanced picture of women’s economic realities. The research produced powerful infographics and photos targeting consumers and encouraging them to adopt more ethical consumption habits by buying directly from producers and artisans instead of buying from intermediaries. The participatory methods produced a narrative that underscored the pride that women have in their roles as artisans and farmers, instead of focusing solely on problems and needs. The report can be accessed here.
Case study 2– Evaluation of programmes working with Children victims of human trafficking in Nigeria
Scope: The main goal of the project was to prevent children from being trafficked in Nigeria. The role of the consultant (Cláudia Pedra) was to a) understand how children were being allured by human traffickers; b) understand if the project was effective in raising awareness amongst children of the risks they were facing; c) understand if children had learned enough about trafficking to educate their peers; d) understand if the project had been effective in preventing child trafficking in the region.
Tools: As human trafficking is a very severe human rights violation with complex adult-child interactions, some of sexual nature, and always extreme violence, the consultant was brought in to speak with children and understand if the project goals had been reached. To avoid revictimization, children were asked to convey their experience using theatre. The materials (created by the children for their own situation) included dolls representing them and the traffickers and the different scenarios. The children decided to also compose a song to convey their newfound knowledge and empowerment. The song was focused on the right to say no; no to their traffickers, no to their parents which, out of ignorance, allow them to go with strangers who promise them paradise.
Outcomes: This process allowed the evaluator to a) gain the confidence of children to express complex and traumatising situations, b) assess if the children had indeed gained knowledge and awareness and were able to convey it to their peers to prevent human trafficking. The evaluation found that the children’s knowledge was solid and that they felt empowered. Children had a new-found confidence in approaching their elders and educating their parents about the risks they faced. They felt empowered and prepared. The use of the art-based method had the dual benefit of preventing more trauma and reinforcing their empowerment while gathering the evidence needed for the project evaluation.
Case study 3 – Strategic planning for a UK-based NGO
Scope: Alliance, an NGO focused on philanthropy information and reflection, based in the UK, asked the consultants (including Cláudia Pedra) to support their strategic planning for the next 10 years, taking into account strategic and operational priorities and changes in their working model due to expansion to new geographies.
Tools: The consultants used the future scoping methodology, to create scenarios for the future of the organisation. Future scoping entailed a) the analysis of possible trends for the future in their area of work and b) the development of scenarios in which the organisation could find itself. Alliance being an NGO that has an important publishing medium, especially a flagship magazine, the consultants considered that it would make sense to create a mock-up magazine for the year 2050 and use it as a reflection piece in a workshop on strategic planning. To do so, the consultants had to translate the future trends into articles and compose the whole magazine, including the design layout, to mimic the Alliance magazine. The articles also had to convey different perspectives on the trends as if written by different people. The process allowed participants to be creative as it used a medium which they are familiar with.
Outcomes: At the end of the process, it was possible to create strategic goals and tie those to a specific action plan for the next 10 years. The strategic and operational plans were clear and on point in terms of the trends of their ecosystem, enabling the organisation to be more appealing for funders, more exciting for its membership and more prepared for the possible challenges the future entails.
The impact of art
Arts-based methods—whether for research, strategy or evaluation—offer a more inclusive approach to complex topics. Participants can reflect in a safe environment and produce meaningful outcomes and facilitators can build trust and obtain robust data. Arts-based methods are “serious enough” and can be more widely implemented that the detractors think.
How to apply arts-based methods?
- Budget adequately: stock up on supplies and negotiate sufficient facilitation time.
- Create a safe environment: ensure participants that all information shared is confidential. Obtain their consent.
- Make participants feel at ease: emphasise that the process matters more than the artistic outcome. Consider offering preset outlines or templates that participants can fill in; a blank page can be intimidating.
- Be inclusive: respect the wishes of those who prefer to express themselves verbally or in writing.
- Document: take pictures and videos of all outputs, those can be used for reporting, sensemaking, and advocacy (after obtaining consent).
You can read more about Arts-Based Evaluation https://www.betterevaluation.org/tools-resources/art-based-evaluation-abe. Reach out if you have questions (claudia.pedra@stone-soup.net, inji.elabd@stone-soup.net).
About the Authors
* Claudia Pedra is co-Founder and Managing Partner at Stone Soup and a long-standing human rights activist, currently serving on Amnesty International’s Board. She has applied arts-based methods in sensitive and complex settings, working with children, people with intellectual disabilities, migrants, and victims of human trafficking. Cláudia is also an amateur photographer.
** Inji Elabd is a principal consultant at Stone Soup and an independent evaluator. She has used arts-based methods to conduct participatory research and evaluations with artisans, children and youth. She is trained in arts-based methods and participatory video, and she is an amateur potter and musician.
