Research question

This research investigates situated artistic practices rooted in Southern Italy in order to understand whether such practices can activate new models of community engagement and whether these models can be transferred to museums through their education departments. If so, this research explores how these practices might be applied and in which existing contexts.

Methodology

The research (practice-led research) is based on a mixed-methods approach – primarily qualitative – aimed at analysing relational dynamics that are difficult to translate into quantitative data (Olcuire & Attili, 2024). The state-of-the-art analysis is structured around two frameworks: a historical one dedicated to participatory practices, and a museological one dedicated to the evolution of the museum institution. The timeframe extends from 1989 – identified by Claire Bishop as a turning point for participatory practices – to the present day. This timeframe allows for an investigation of key trajectories in contemporary art and museology, including institutional critique, the social and educational turns, participatory art, the crisis of the museum institution, and the development of educational departments. Mapping organisations that develop participatory practices, conducting interviews with cultural practitioners and members of the communities involved, and undertaking research residencies will allow for the construction of a comprehensive picture of situated artistic practices active in Southern Italy. The observed activities will be documented through audio recordings and diaries, which will be incorporated into the research apparatus. This apparatus will outline the artistic methodologies and modes of governance that have been adopted, as well as the forms of community engagement that have been observed. The organisations identified will be compared on the basis of criteria such as longevity, legal status, and forms of funding.

Case studies

The community engagement methods under examination will be applied and tested in institutional case studies selected according to criteria such as local roots and an explicit participatory component. Among the institutional organisations identified are Arts Santa Mònica (Barcelona), Museo Civico di Castelbuono (Palermo) and Kunstituut Melly (Rotterdam).

Expected results

This research will address certain gaps in the existing literature: to date, no study has analysed the relationship between the development of museum education departments and the evolution of participatory artistic practices (Bishop, 2024; Sánchez, 2021). The expected outcomes include understanding whether situated artistic practices represent innovative models of community engagement, and verifying – through toolkits and training workshops – the transferability of their methodologies to cultural institutions. The hope is that these actions will help foster the concept of the museum as a cultural common, thereby involving communities in decision-making processes (Bodo & Cimoli, 2023; Sossai et al., 2025).