Rievdan - new genre arctic art education building cultural resilience in a time of global change

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Abstract

Rievdan – Muutos, meaning change in Davvi Sámi and Finnish, is an art-based action research (ABAR) project conducted by the University of Lapland in Finland. Beginning in 2025 in Sápmi, the Sámi homeland, it involves collaboration with inhabitants of Vuohčču village in Finland and Kárášjohka town in Norway. The project addresses the challenges of change faced by northern communities due to unilateral policies, environmental exploitation, and the climate crisis. It explores new Arctic Art Education (AAE) strategies that strengthen community resilience and participants’ agency.

Guided by the ABAR approach and community-based art education theory, Rievdan engages participants in collaborative art and co-research. This article asks: What initial steps and ethical perspectives should guide co-research in culturally pluriversal northern communities? The research data include reflections from the first art workshop, diaries, and visual material. The findings emphasise the need for culturally sensitive and ethical research practices. The key outcomes include involving local people as cultural assistants, prioritising listening, using participants’ languages in all interactions, considering research venues carefully, and respecting the right to decline participation.

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Keywords

community-based art education, new genre Arctic art education, cultural resilience

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