Global value of artistic research asserted by new international declaration

Published: 22/06/2020

The importance and value of Artistic Research globally has been asserted through a new international declaration launched today (Monday, June 22) and which the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) has played a key role in drafting. The Vienna Declaration on Artistic Research is a joint endeavour of European organisations representing the creative and performing arts in, and beyond, Higher Education. Through the Declaration its signatories, who include academic leaders in music, art and design, performing arts, architecture, film and heritage, intend to change the global status of Artistic Research.

The Declaration is available here.

Professor Stephen Broad, RCS’s Director of Research and Knowledge Exchange, is chair of the European Platform for Artistic Research in Music and a member of the Declaration drafting group. He paid tribute to the forward thinking attitudes of funders like the Arts and Humanities Research Council, Research England and the Scottish Funding Council in valuing Artistic Research.

Professor Broad added: “We are lucky that significance of Artistic Research is widely understood and recognised in the UK. This isn’t the case globally, though, and the Vienna Declaration is the latest step in a process of changing attitudes and policies for funding and recognition, internationally. Working on the Declaration with European colleagues, has been inspiring and uplifting.’

Welcoming the launch of the Vienna Declaration Professor Jeffrey Sharkey, Principal of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland said:

”˜RCS is proud to be a voice for Artistic Research. Since the founding of our research unit in 1999, we’ve been arguing for the unique value of research in which the artist makes the difference. Whether it’s through our vibrant doctoral programmes, the world-leading work of our excellent artist-researchers, or through policy and advocacy work like the Vienna Declaration, we are determined to realise the transformative potential of research in and through the arts.’

The Vienna Declaration is the first outcome of a continuing collaboration between the main organisations and transnational networks dealing with Artistic Research at European level and beyond. It was co-written by the European Association of Conservatoires (AEC), Cilect-GEECT (the International Association of Film and Television Schools), Culture Action Europe, Cumulus, the European Association for Architectural Education, the European League for Institutes of the Arts, the European Platform for Artistic Research in Music, EQ-ARTS, MusiQuE and the Society for Artistic Research. The initiative is open to the involvement of other international organisations with an interest.