What is Arts-Based Research?

Arts-based research is more than research about art; it is research conducted through art. Defined by Jones and Leavy as “any social research or human inquiry that adapts the tenets of the creative arts as part of the methodology,” it can inform every stage of inquiry—data collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination.

By moving beyond conventional rational and cognitive modes, arts-based research opens new channels for understanding people’s experiences, ideas, and perspectives. It spans multiple creative disciplines—writing, poetry, painting, music, performance, photography, and more. In this way, art is not only studied but also performed as both a method and a product of research.

In consultancy, these creative approaches help organizations explore complex issues, surface hidden insights, and co-create strategies. Arts-based methods engage participants more deeply, making research and consultancy both analytical and imaginative.