Critical Approaches to Artist-led Spaces: Insights from a Collaborative Research PhD
Benedetta d’Ettorre, researcher, and Karen Watson, Artistic Director of East Street Arts, reflect on the importance of Collaborative Research models on the cultural sector and what sustainability could mean to artist-led spaces.
Discovering the Impact of Artist-Led Spaces and Collaborative PhDs
We caught up with Benedetta d’Ettorre, researcher, who undertook a Collaborative Doctoral Award (CDA) with East Street Arts and the School of Performance and Cultural Industries, facilitated by the Cultural Institute.
What is a Collaborative Doctoral Award (CDA)?
CDAs bring academic researchers together with non-academic organisations to undertake applied research that would not be possible without access to the expertise and facilities that both parties bring.
After 4 years of study, Benedetta shares with us her findings on sustainability in the arts, and invites researchers, artists and cultural practioners to her upcoming conference, HIVE on May 22nd. We also hear from East Street Arts’ Artistic Director, Karen Watson, on the important role collaborative Doctoral Awards play on the creative industry.
Benedetta, can you tell us about your research and what first inspired you to delve into the topic of sustainability in the arts?
Growing up in various cities in Italy, I was captivated by self-managed cultural and social centers that offered free or low-cost activities to the community. These spaces, often run by artists, fascinated me with their ability to attract audiences and foster active citizenship. However, their financial sustainability puzzled me. This curiosity led me to explore the broader dynamics of sustainability in arts and cultural spaces.
In the UK, there are similar initiatives known as artist-run spaces. For me, the question of sustainability goes beyond just considering the environment or finances. It encompasses a complex range of interconnected exchanges and dynamics. I examine how people can participate in arts and culture, the influence of different political and economic contexts on artist-run spaces, the role of these spaces in bringing local communities together and inhabiting urban environments, their contribution to maintaining local cultural ecologies, their ability to extend artists’ networks internationally, and ultimately, what all of this tells us about sustainability as a whole.
How did your collaboration with East Street Arts contribute to your research?
In 2018, East Street Arts (ESA) set up Guild, an Arts Council England’s Sector Support Organisation, to develop the sustainability and resilience of artists’ space. This project provided the frame and context for my research, thus I have been able to explore some themes that have emerged from their work on this project.
As an embedded researcher at ESA, I had the opportunity to closely observe their work and interview participants from Guild. This collaboration allowed me to gain insights into different operational contexts, thanks to the diverse organisations involved.
Working closely with ESA provided me with invaluable support, making my research journey more seamless. The collaborative nature of the PhD allowed me to bridge academia and real-life situations, establishing direct links between research and impact.
Funding from the Cultural Institute was essential to enable this part of the research, which was key to provide me with insights on organisations similar to East Street Arts but that are much younger and smaller. Having both perspectives from my embedded position and the field work informed my thinking and allowed me both to get very close to my research context while keeping some distance.
Karen, I understand you value the importance of Collaborative Doctoral Awards, tell us why you think they are important, and why other organisations in the cultural sector should consider working in this way?
I worked really hard to develop research collaborations with universities because I was increasingly aware that as organisations we don’t have the skills, experience, time, and focus to ensure there is quality research connected to the work we do.
Collaborative Doctoral Awards bring several valuable elements into the organisation, including testing assumptions, bringing new knowledge, opening informed discussions, and linking us to wider academic networks and conferences. It also enriches the projects with ideas, knowledge, and new contacts, making the sector more inclusive and informed.
I do think more organisations should consider working with researches for all the reasons above but also because it brings industry and academia closer together which makes a more inclusive and informed sector.
Benedetta, can you briefly summarise the significant findings from your research that could be helpful for small arts organisations in terms of sustainability?
My research builds upon recent policies and literature addressing sustainability in the cultural and creative sector. While existing advice primarily focuses on expanding revenue generation and financial stability through innovative business models, my findings highlight the importance of establishing firm organisational boundaries and aligning goals and aims with members and supporters for smaller and younger organisations with limited planning capacity.
Instead of solely developing financial models, I argue that prioritising organisational development can create new financial opportunities and better understand the necessary goals and resources to fulfil the organisation’s purpose. As Kenneth Forster emphasized in “Arts Leadership: Creating Sustainable Arts Organisations,” sustainability should aim to sustain the organisation’s purpose rather than solely focusing on organisational growth.
What’s one thing you wish more people knew about sustainability in the arts, and why is it important?
There is not a real definition of sustainability, it is a concept that we can use to think about the things that are important for us and champion individual and collective action and stewardship.
You’re busy preparing for your upcoming HIVE conference, tell us about what we can expect, and who the conference is for.
HIVE is a participatory conference focusing on artist-led spaces and their ecology. The event caters to artists, artist-led organisations, and stakeholders impacting the future of such organisations (funders, local authorities, developers, universities).
The conference aims to flatten hierarchies between speakers and attendees, fostering connections and taking a slow approach. It offers sessions combining academic presentations and creative workshops, challenging ideas and putting theory into practice. The day concludes with a cross-pollination session, encouraging participants to share ideas and make connections across various themes explored during the event.
Karen, what are you most looking forward to at HIVE?
I am looking forward to seeing the people attending — meeting familiar people and meeting new people. They are what makes our sector work and their commitment, drive, knowledge and experience can be very inspiring. I am looking forward to hearing from them and maybe hearing what our next research focus should be.
Join Karen and Benedetta at HIVE on Monday 22nd May — Click here for more information.
