The Dutch Research Agenda (NWA) is revising its 'Research on Routes by Consortia' (ORC) program based on feedback from the previous year. The ORC program will now involve networks within each of the 25 routes proposing a theme every two years. The Art Route Management and Steering Committee have analysed various aspects to suggest the preliminary theme for the 2024 round: 'The power of artistic and design research.' See Below. We invite members of the Art Route network to provide feedback and ideas via info@routekunstnwa.nl before September 1, 2023. The Steering Committee values constructive thoughts and may arrange a meeting if desired.
Your input is appreciated.
Theme: The Power of Artistic and Design Research
The Netherlands will face several major challenges in the coming decades. The climate crisis is unfolding, while the demand for resources continues to increase. There is a war raging that directly threatens our national security, while within our nation the distrust in public and political institutions is growing increasingly widespread. Moreover, the growing socioeconomic inequality leads to a divided society where not all citizens feel equal.
In situations of great societal uncertainty, artistic and design research can enrich the intellectual and creative landscape surrounding pressing societal issues. The research methods employed by artists and designers go beyond traditional academic research approaches: they embrace the power of expression and place experience at the centre of knowledge production, to arrive at different perspectives on the complex challenges faced. While artistic research utilises imagination to provide new perspectives, questions, insights, and modes of communication in response to societal challenges, design research leverages its capacity to creatively address problems and explore alternative possibilities. By combining creativity, critical thinking, and experimentation, artistic and design research not only push the boundaries of knowledge production, they also enable the step from knowledge to innovation, imagination and transformation.
Therefore, the NWA Art Route calls on consortia for research proposals that harness the power of artistic and design research to address pressing societal challenges and/or contribute to further enhancing the development of that power. Interdisciplinary collaborations with artists and designers to promote innovation and societal transformation, as well as interactions with audiences to stimulate societal imagination are encouraged.
The preliminary theme aligns with the cluster questions posed to the Kunst Route. When formulating research proposals, it is essential to consider these cluster questions and make explicit which of them are addressed by the research proposed. It is also important to take note of the game-changers formulated by the Art Route: art as a driver for innovation and reflection in a high-tech society, art as an alternative form of knowledge production, and art as a source of inspiration for education and lifelong learning. These principles are supported, substantiated, and reinforced by theImpact and Innovation in the Arts manifesto.