“A Breath of Fresh AiR'

The Bournemouth University ARTS in Research Collaborative (AiR) held a two-day workshop in late summer to experiment with interviewing, narrative and ephemera, and arts-based representations of such approaches (reported here previously). An article available online from today in The Qualitative Report by Kip Jones entitled, “A Report on an Arts-led, Emotive Experiment in Interviewing and Storytelling” details the thinking behind this effort and the mechanisms put in place that contributed to the workshop’s success The paper reports on the two-day experimental workshop in arts‐led interviewing technique using ephemera to e elicit life stories and then reporting narrative accounts back using creative means of presentation.
 Academics and students from across Departments at Bournemouth University told each other stories from their pasts based in objects that they presented to each other as gifts. Each partner then reported the shared story to the group using arts‐led presentation methods.
Narrative research and the qualitative interview are discussed. The conclusion is drawn that academics yearn to express the more emotive connections generated by listening to the stories of strangers.
The procedures followed for the two‐day workshop are outlined in order that other academics may also organize their own experiments in eliciting story using personal objects and retelling stories creatively.

Because the group wanted to take the impact of this experience further, AiR applied and was accepted to present the concept at the Social Research Association’s workshop ‘Creative Research Methods’ on 8 May at the British Library in London. The Collaborative is about to meet up to brainstorm ways in which to translate their experiences of the workshop into a more presentational one.

 This just in! Feedback from London workshop:

 The activity was as much about learning about the process and impact of sharing stories triggered by personal objects, as about identifying a potential new methodology.


·         The initial decision of what to choose and share was anxiety-making; how personal an item, was it ‘good enough’ etc


·         Fast and deep connections emerged


·         Could be used in work with older people and people with dementia as a tool for researching memories


·         The power of the visual  - of using objects, of seeing the images projected has a greater impact than words

 Small band of AiRheads who took project to London

(l. to r.) Anne Quinney, Maggie Hutchings, Caroline Ellis-Hill, Wendy Couchman, Michelle Cannon

 This just in from Creative Quarter!

Ten ‘rules’ for being creative in producing research