Manchester academic secures funding to raise profile of arts-based research across Europe
The University听of Manchester听and artists and cultural organisations from听across听the city are听playing an integral role in a听new听Europe-wide network which听is advancing听arts-based research听in听migration听and听heritage听studies听across the continent.听 Dr Saskia Warren听(Reader in听Human听Geography) is听a core member听of a cross-continent team of researchers who have听been awarded funding from听听to听establish听a transdisciplinary European network of scholars,听artists听and cultural practitioners.听听
听Justice, Arts, Memory, Migration听(JAMM): Creating Solidarities across Borders听will bring together听academics,听artists听and听cultural practitioners听to share experience and best practice across universities, cultural听institutions听and听community organisations.听
Dr Warren is a member of JAMM's management committee and is working group co-leader of the 'Urban Space, Creative Sectors & Social Cohesion working group. She is involved alongside听other Manchester participants:听postgraduate听researchers听Clare Courtney听and听Haoyue Gul听(University of Manchester)听and听Mahboobeh Rajabi,听Founder听and听CEO听of 听an innovative, artist-led platform and cultural caf茅.听
Dr Warren commented:
鈥淲e are thrilled to have secured funding for JAMM which will help address longstanding gaps in how creativity and artistic participation are recognised and understood in migration, diversity, and heritage studies.
鈥淭oo often, academic research prioritises statistics and theory, whilst ignoring the real-life knowledge and insights that come from working creatively with individuals and communities. This project will allow researchers, community organisations, artists and cultural practitioners to share their knowledge and expertise and encourage proper documentation of creative work.
鈥淎rts and culture are central to how we understand experiences of migration and heritage, and community arts projects give marginalised communities opportunities to explore and tell their stories. This project will also help us share best practice to ensure that when we work with communities that collaboration is fair and inclusive.
鈥淟onger term, we hope JAMM will encourage academic institutions to better recognise arts-based work and that it will ultimately increase the impact of arts-based research in migration and heritage research.鈥�
JAMM brings together 70 researchers from 27 countries and has been awarded 鈧�170,000 in the first year with an estimated 鈧�680,000 over four years (depending on the number of participating COST member countries). It was one of only 80 projects out of 1,090 applications selected for funding by COST.
Applications to join JAMM Working Groups are now open and academics, students and cultural practitioners are being encouraged to take part: