About
POLART explores the interactions of art and public policy, two fields so far viewed primarily through their differences rather than their synergies. Although there is an established relationship between art and politics, what is the potential for art and public policy to come closer for the re-imagining or knowledge-making and governance in the 21st century?
While policy research has traditionally centred on science, measurement and evidence, less attention has been paid to the role of the arts in questioning dominant narratives, challenging assumptions and offering imaginative, empathetic and just ways of responding to social problems. Yet the arts have long influenced how policymakers make sense of, interpret and envision change in societies.
POLART breaks new ground by investigating this relationship systematically for the first time. Working at the intersection of public policy, science and technology studies (STS) and the sociology of art, the project aims to lay the intellectual foundations for the new research field of Art and Public Policy.
Research streams
POLART will focus on three core areas:
Major international art exhibitions and collectives
Examining how artistic practices contribute to policy problematisation in Europe after 1989.
Global sustainability governance
Analysing why and how international organisations turn to the arts as tools for effecting policy change, and with what consequences.
National and local policymaking
Exploring how digital and site-specific arts influence policymakers’ values, fostering forms of empathetic and participatory governance suited to the challenges of the 21st century.
Across each of these streams, POLART seeks to make visible, and better understand, the dynamic interplay between creative expression and the governance of contemporary societies.
Interdisciplinary focus
To examine this under-explored relationship, POLART brings together a team of researchers from STS, art history and public policy. Together, this interdisciplinary team allows POLART to examine the intersection of art and policy from multiple angles, enriching the project’s empirical insights and theoretical contributions. Find out more about the POLART Team (Link to team page)