Practice-based research: Tracking creative creatures in a research context

Abstract

This article explores the concept of practice-based research as a viable research avenue for academics in creative disciplines with a view to contextualise the importance of research for all academics, including those in creative disciplines; investigate a framework for defining practice-based research; extrapolate existing models and methods of practice-based research from the literature; develop a plausible working strategy for practicebased research; and finally determine the extent to which the “Tracking creative creatures” project complies with the requirements of practice-based research. While practice-based research is fairly well represented in the literature, the peculiar characteristics of creative work require a reconceptualisation of how research imperatives are satisfied in practice-based research. Practical outputs as embodied research, the importance of the creative process and its reflective documentation and collaborative strategies in creative projects emerged as salient issues.

The “Creative creatures” project was found to have complied with most of the requirements of practice-based research and certain proposed amendments to the approach followed with this project will assist future projects in attaining viable research status, but these need to be framed within an institutional and funding environment that fosters creative work as research.