The ARTists Academy

ARTists Academy is a community of inquiry/practice evolving within the AR+ Foundation. It supports transformative action learning - scaffolding - among Action-oriented Researchers for Transformation in mission driven organizations at the next frontier of their work.

An ARTist is a practitioner of Action-oriented Research for Transformations who "scaffolds" i.e., creates conditions for, the development of participation among those involved.

The heart of the work is convening transformative learning spaces at the intersection of science, artistry and personal leadership development who share the intention of finding their own best response to the social-ecological challenges of our time.

An ARTist working as an educator is concerned with creating conditions for transformative learning spaces. An ARTist working on say climate resilience in an NGO, takes the technocratic goals of her organization and involves the plural realities of actual stakeholders in meeting and transcending those goals . ARTists Academy instigates a multiplier effect across these project spaces and stakeholders by leveraging outcomes in a network of like-spirited ARTists.

ARTists Academy began in spring 2019 by inviting transformative educators to design and extend AR+ co-labs. In autumn 2019 we inquired across these transformative spaces, to distill the DNA of practicing transformative learning. In 2020 we enjoyed a global gathering with participants from 20 countries. We noticed what was "newsworthy" about ART, such as its emphasis on reflexivity, on bringing inner and outer work together, on transforming power and on working with embodied (not just conceptual) knowledge. As more members joined, the offerings of the coLABs developed these properties of ART.  The Academy builds on this to offer a platform (coming in 2022), infused with this vital ARTist DNA.  The platform will offer an asynchronous program to support would be ARTists, e.g., scholar practitioners or mid career change agents in mission driven organizations at the next frontier of their work.

ARTists Academy

ARTists Academy is

1) GLOBAL: engaging global educators who cultivate transformational learning spaces;

2) UNIFYING: science, insight and implementation with stakeholders;

3) DEVELOPMENTAL: self and inner transformation is the anchor for outer collaborative action;

4) COMMONS: an ecosystem that rewards continuous learning and emerges post-postmodern 'tribe';

5) ARTISTIC, placing  emphasis on artistic ways of knowing  while also leveraging the enormous (but often lost) wealth of peer reviewed science into more actionable form.

6) INTEGRATING: personal/first person-, interpersonal/second person- and impersonal/third person- notable results.

7) DeLightening:  with means and ends in harmony, our work is a microcosm of the world we aspire to.    

ARTists Academy is high touch and hi tech. The asynchronous program may be matched with a coLAB or coaching.  All ARTists, are invited to meet in eco-retreat gatherings.

Project lead: Hilary Bradbury of Action Research Plus Foundation.

The promise of ARTists Academy is to be a transformative space in which we grow capacity to engage self and others in transformative learning. Our growing community/tribe will link and sync our federated efforts as we go.

ARTists enrich social change-making with their own reflection.  To get a taste of this integration:

1. Hilary introduces a key learning/coaching practice in this 5 mins video; 2. In this 9 mins pilot exercise, listen in as a Professor finds her Learning Gem.


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In this video snippet newly conferred PhD and ARTist Alessandra, discusses her ART. We see her scholarly practice relates not only studying eco-social community, but inviting one into being, with herself as both an agent and subject of transformation.


To learn more about the ARTists' Academy email us at admin@actionresearchplus.com

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