Drs. Nancy Gerber and Theresa Van Lith traveled to Malta from February 4-9, 2020 to attend and present at the European Congress of Qualitative Inquiry (ECQI). The ECQI convened in Malta on February 4, 2020 with a gathering of esteemed researchers from numerous countries in Europe and beyond.
Dr. Gerber, who is leading a team of international researchers, presented on the team’s continuing work developing an Arts-Based Research Global Consortium. The purpose of the ABR Global Consortium is to advocate for the visibility, accessibility, credibility, and fundability of ABR. To this end the team aspires to identify global issues and collaborations, ABR typologies and good practices, ABR evaluative criteria and methods, global educational venues, and accessible disseminative approaches. Secondly, Dr. Gerber presented on her work with a “Trans-geographical and cultural partnerships in advancing arts-based research: A global classroom experiment” which was a partnership between Drexel University and the University of Milano-Bicocca. Dr. Van Lith presented on her research addressing “Art making as transformative in mental health recovery”. This research focuses on mental health recovery as a social justice movement and how those experiencing mental illness can become active agents of their own lives. Similarly, co-operative inquiry challenges the power imbalances that exist among marginalized and vulnerable groups by seeking to create relevant platforms for equality. The intention of this study was to explore the relationship between art making and the mental health recovery process with consumers of rehabilitation services in Melbourne, Australia.
The Department of Art Education congratulates Dr. Gerber and Dr. Van Lith for their work! More information regarding the work of art therapy faculty, students, and FSU’s master’s and PhD level art therapy programs can be found by clicking here.