Creative Practice Research Seminars
Welcome to the page for the Creative Practice Research seminar series hosted by MeCCSA Practice Network and Solent University. Here you will find information about the seminar series, registration links and an archive of recordings (post-event). All seminars are via Zoom and a meeting invitation will be available after booking. The workshops are free to attend.
Bridging the gap between creative practice and scholarship
Description: Join us for an engaging Q&A session with Joanne Scott, an expert in creative practice research, as we explore the intersection of creative practice and academic scholarship. This session is designed to help early career researchers (ECRs) develop skills and understanding to articulate their creative practice as a form of academic research. Through a rich conversation, Joanne Scott will share insights from her extensive work in the field, with particular reference to her acclaimed monograph Intermedial Praxis and Practice as Research: Doing-thinking in Practice. This session will offer valuable strategies for ECRs to navigate the complexities of integrating creative practice into scholarly frameworks.
Bio: Joanne Scott is a leading scholar and practitioner in the field of creative practice research, with a focus on performance and intermediality. She is the author of the monograph Intermedial Praxis and Practice as Research: Doing-thinking in Practice (Palgrave), where she explores the concept of “live intermediality” and offers a detailed account of how practice as research (PaR) can be documented and critically reflected upon. Scott’s work builds on foundational theories of PaR, contributing new methodologies for understanding the integration of practice and academic inquiry. She is also known for her innovative performance projects that blend live performance with digital media, expanding the boundaries of traditional performance studies.
Articulating your creative practice as research in writing
Description: This workshop is designed to support creative practice researchers in writing compelling 300-word contextual statements that clearly articulate their research. Using a structural formula derived from an analysis of successful REF 2021 submissions, participants will engage in practical exercises to craft their own statements. The session will explore how to articulate the impact of creative practice research, addressing specific challenges faced by creative practitioners. Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of how to communicate their research’s significance and impact effectively.
Bio: Roy Hanney is an experienced academic and researcher with a background in creative practice research. His work focuses on helping researchers communicate the impact of their practice through structured, compelling narratives. With expertise in practice-based research methodologies and REF submissions, Dr. Hanney offers invaluable insights into the processes of articulating research outcomes and impact in the context of creative practice. He regularly leads workshops and consults with academics on how to present their creative work within academic and institutional frameworks.
Outputs, outcomes, and impacts in creative practice research
Description: In this session, facilitated by Dr. Lyle Skains, participants will explore how to integrate the Theory of Change model into creative practice research. The workshop will guide researchers through building pathways to impact within their project planning, helping them to better articulate and achieve the broader societal and cultural effects of their work. Using case studies, the session will illustrate how adopting this approach can lead to more focused and impactful research outcomes. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of how to apply these strategies to their own creative practice research.
Bio: Dr. Lyle Skains is a renowned researcher in the field of creative practice, with a particular focus on methodology and impact. She has published extensively on creative practice as research, with her influential work, Creative Practice as Research: Discourse on Methodology, offering significant insights into the theoretical underpinnings and practical applications of creative research. Dr. Skains is known for her expertise in designing research projects that not only advance creative practice but also demonstrate clear pathways to impact, making her a leading voice in this growing field.
Lyle Skains (2024). Designing and Conducting Practice-Based Research Projects: A Practical Guide for Arts Student Researchers. Intellect Books.
Reflecting Backwards: Navigating the PhD by Prior Publication in Creative Practice
- Date: 15th January 2025
- Time: 4:30pm GMT
- BOOKING LINK
Description: Join us for an in-depth conversation with Nick Cope, a British filmmaker and academic, as he discusses the unique challenges of completing a PhD by prior publication by practice. Reflecting on his own journey, Nick will explore the complexities of documenting and theorizing creative practice retrospectively, questioning whether this approach aligns more with archival research or autoethnography. He will share insights from his PhD, Northern Industrial Scratch: the history and contexts of a visual music practice, examining the intersection of sound, image, and cultural context within the British Scratch video art movement of the 1980s. This session offers valuable perspectives for creative practitioners considering this pathway.
Bio: Nick Cope is a British filmmaker and academic with a career spanning over three decades in film, video, and digital media. His work has been widely screened in cinemas, galleries, and live performance contexts internationally. Currently the Program Manager for Digital Film and Video Production at RMIT Vietnam University, Nick has held academic positions worldwide, including as Head of Department at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University in China. In 2012, he completed a PhD by prior publication, exploring the history and impact of the 1980s British Scratch video art movement. Nick’s work continues to contribute to the fields of visual music and experimental media.
Finding the Research Question in Speculative Creative Practice
- Date: 12th February 2025
- Time: 4:30pm GMT
- BOOKING LINK
Description: In this seminar, Annette Arlander will delve into the speculative nature of creative practice research, offering a perspective that challenges traditional academic frameworks. Unlike conventional research, creative practice doesn’t always begin with a question; instead, it often unfolds in pursuit of one, driven by intuition and experimentation. This session will explore how creative practice researchers can articulate a research question through the process itself, embracing uncertainty and speculative methods as integral to discovery. Through discussion, Arlander will examine how speculative practice allows for interdisciplinary intersections and the emergence of new insights.
Bio: Annette Arlander is an artist, researcher, and educator, widely recognized as a pioneer of Finnish performance art and a leading figure in artistic research. With a background in theatre direction, philosophy, and a doctorate in theatre and drama, she was the first to receive a doctorate from the Theatre Academy in Helsinki. Arlander has held professorial roles, including in artistic research at the University of the Arts, Helsinki, where she shaped the MA program in Live Art and Performance Studies. Her work explores performance, site-specificity, and environmental art, focusing on the speculative dimensions of practice through video and recorded voice.