Making invisible care visible. Ethics and aesthetics of care in participatory arts practices in times of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic emphasises the importance of care for our societies, yet underscores the inferiority of relational caring practices. During this time, we studied the participatory work of artists working with older adults using participant observations, in-depth interviews and visual ethnography. In this article, we present a case study of one arts initiative, a theatre company engaging seniors in the Netherlands, using ethics and aesthetics of care as sensitising concepts. The findings reveal that this work can promote relational forms of care. This study makes visible how different forms of care can be identified in a participatory art project.

Automated summary

The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the importance of care for our societies and raises concerns about the limitations of relational caring practices. Through a case study of a theatre company engaging seniors, this research reveals that participatory art projects can promote relational forms of care.