Queen Margaret University Hosts Conference Supported by Paul Mellon Centre Event Support Grant

Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, received an Event Support Grant to aid the delivery of a symposium titled Getting It Right/Getting It Wrong: Socially Engaged Art and Ethics. In the text below the team at Queen Margaret describe the event and its impact, including quotes from attendees.

We are incredibly indebted to the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art (PMC) for the support for our conference, Getting It Right/Getting It Wrong: Socially Engaged Art and Ethics. The all-day, in-person conference included a curated programme that aimed to unpick some of the ethical assumptions about art in the public domain. It consciously did not seek to provide universal answers but rather to give opportunity for critical reflection.

The event featured international speakers, managers, practitioners, critics, policy influencers, researchers and students to give a broad perspective on the subject. Having a diversity of voices in the event was important and encouraged significant debate about the purpose of this type of work, how it links/is different from art therapies and how it can it be useful and/or problematic within the political domain.

Funding supported two Early Career Researchers to facilitate events, as well as honoraria for six freelancers, and travel and accommodation for some speakers. With a keen understanding of the importance of hosting and networking within this domain lunch and refreshments were provided that helped to contribute to a “community of practice” around the subject. Attendees broadly reported being very satisfied with the event, making comments such as:

It was great to get people together from all over the sector and link artist practitioners with more academic thinking. Great to hear from organisations working locally and then more overseas perspectives.

What was wonderful was that the debate on ethics was held within a safe space and people listened and respected each other’s different opinions. I have taken away a very useful quote: "It's not us and them, it’s all of us", which highlights a perspective of unity and shared humanity, rejecting the idea of dividing people into groups based on perceived differences.

I would love to see a regular conference like this held in Scotland, which helps us address pertinent issues for the arts sector.

We feel confident that the funding has provided an important and novel space to reflect on a pressing issue of our time and are grateful for PMC’s support.