Using arts in research to collaborate for change, Stories of homelessness in Toronto

In an article published in the recently released book, "Creative Arts in Interdisciplinary Practice, Inquiries for Hope and Change", (Eds. Cheryl McLean, Robert Kelly, Detselig Temeron Press, August 2010) researchers reported on the process of a major arts informed collaborative community based project which brought together eight community based research projects with a goal to help give voice to the lived experiences of homelessness in Toronto, Ontario. These cutting edge arts informed projects set out to inform the public and raise awareness about the issues with hopes of changing social policy and improving quality of life for homeless persons.

Izumi Sakamoto a Ph.D and Associate Professor of Social Work at The University of Toronto was the lead researcher for the collaborative effort. The article reports, "the use of arts was particularly effective because it allowed for the meaningful inclusion of people who are homeless in the research process. Further, various modalities and representations of arts made it possible to communicate the message of "the need for inclusion and accountability" from diverse voices without bombarding people with words.

The research was disseminated in a number of ways including the launch of a joint art exhibit, policy report and website. A highly publicized event, this launch attracted print media and radio coverage and a wide range of participants including politicians, bureaucrats, social service agency administrators and front line workers as well as people with experiences of homelessness.



The full article can be found in the book "Creative Arts in Interdisciplinary Practice, Inquiries for Hope and Change" pg. 21 - 39.
"Community Based Research, Collaborating for Change, Collaborating to Tell the Stories of Homelessness in Toronto"





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