'How Can We Prevent Future Wars?' A Case for Strategic Partnerships and Funding in Art, Co-Design, Pedagogy & Sustainable Development
'How Can We Prevent Future Wars?'
A Case for Strategic Partnerships and Funding in Art, Co-Design, Pedagogy & Sustainable Development
Introduction
How can socially engaged art, co-design practices, and applied non-curricular pedagogy offer a unique approach to institutional critique that drives sustainable development through direct social impact?
Recently, working with the charity, Never Such Innocence (NSI), on their annual exhibition, this year titled 'How Can We Prevent Future Wars?', allowed me to consider a few answers to this question. But, first, an introduction:
Never Such Innocence provides tools for children and young people (9-18) to reflect on the realities of war and conflict. We are nurturing the next generation of thinkers, leaders and peacebuilders through the arts; inspiring cultural exchange and dialogue. We amplify the voices of children and young people all over the world.
neversuchinnocence.com (nd).
I see Never Such Innocence (NSI) as a powerful combination of the arts and co-design that incorporates art education, not as a rigid methodology, but as an embedded philosophy throughout its programme delivery. In co-design terms, NSI acts as a facilitator and amplifier for youth-led meaning-making, fostering a collaborative environment where young people are active participants, not just passive recipients (Rancière, 2008). The arts, on the other hand, serve as an educational tool, providing a medium for individuals, especially young people, to express their identities, challenge social stratification, and engage in political discourse (Bourriaud, 1998, 2002; Kester, 2004); Illich). Education is the collaborative model that brings participants together and produces socially impactful outcomes (Freire, 1968, 2000; UNESCO, 2014).
NSI's exhibition explores the transformative power of art in tackling conflict and fostering peace. It emphasises five themes, including art's capacity to transcend cultural boundaries, the importance of imagining a future without war, the impact of conflict on vulnerable groups, the link between humanity and nature, and the bravery required to advocate for positive change. While this appears to be an exhibition of young artists' work, it also functions as a living model that integrates social engagement, art education, and institutional critique to create social impact and promote.
The global scope of NSI's workshops and annual competitions extends to over 135 countries worldwide, playing a crucial role in empowering young people to speak out against conflict, violence, and genocide through a co-design framework. By utilising art pedagogy and exhibitions in libraries, NSI achieves tangible social impact that aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) (UNESCO, 2014).
Therefore, the 'How Can We Prevent Future Wars?' exhibition highlights NSI's unique approach to social engagement through art education and display, offering compelling evidence for the effectiveness of arts-based methods. My experience working on this exhibition has provided me with valuable insights into institutional critique, directly contributing to UN Sustainable Development Goal 16 (and others). Consequently, it holds significant potential for university knowledge exchange, research, and funding partnerships.
Never Such Innocence: A Model for Socially Engaged Art & Social Impact through Pedagogy
Socially engaged art is a vital part of NSI's approach, fostering co-design processes through art education where young people become more than passive recipients of knowledge; their voices and personal expressions actively shape and envision a future without conflict (Kester, Freire). Although idealistic, the idea of preventing future war is an optimistic effort to use art and education to make a difference rather than doing nothing. For example, NSI goes beyond traditional classroom education to promote critical thinking, empathy, and agency, integrating these values into their workshops and their recent exhibition at Kensington Central Library, which explores five distinct themes.
The first theme examines the power of art as a universal language, capable of crossing cultural divides and fostering empathy. Many conflicts stem from misunderstandings and a lack of connection between different groups. Here, the exhibition represents artistic expression as a bridge, featuring artists who draw inspiration from their own cultural heritage while simultaneously aiming to communicate shared human experiences, allowing viewers to see commonalities rather than differences.
Next, the exhibition shifts its focus from the present to the future. How can we actively imagine a world without war? This reflects proactive thinking about prevention, using imagination not as an escape but as a tool for constructive foresight. Artists here use their creative freedom to explore hypothetical scenarios, not to sensationalise violence but to illustrate the potential consequences of conflict and, more importantly, to conceptualise pathways to peaceful coexistence.
Another aspect of this exhibition highlights the devastating impact of war, especially on the most vulnerable among us: children and young people. It serves as a powerful reminder of what we aim to protect and the profound toll of conflict. The artists in this section often seek to evoke empathy and a sense of responsibility, using symbolism to depict the loss of innocence or resilience in the face of adversity. This encourages viewers to consider the long-term human cost of conflict and the importance of safeguarding future generations.
The fourth theme explores the profound bond between humanity and the natural world, emphasising similarities between ecological harmony and societal unity. When we are attuned to nature, we often feel a greater sense of balance within ourselves and in our relationships with others. These artists suggest that by reflecting on the interconnectedness and healing power of nature, our views on human conflict can shift.
The final theme explores the lasting impact of our actions and the courage required to advocate for peace. This theme acknowledges the challenges inherent in working towards a better future but emphasises the power of individual and collective action, memory, and the desire to leave a positive legacy. Artists here often confront difficult memories of past conflicts or personal experiences. Their work may reflect the struggle to translate complex emotions into tangible form, the courage required to express dissenting views, or the profound desire to contribute to a world where future generations can thrive.
NSI's approach functions as a unique form of pedagogy that broadens the use of the arts as an educational tool. This exhibition is a direct result of this educational model, employing pedagogy that is collaborative, socially engaging, and allows for the depth and breadth of youth-led insights on peace and conflict. It raises awareness and advocates for others through art, poetry, speech, and song.
The Arts as Institutional Critique & Driver of UNSDG Impact
Institutional critique, in its four waves of critique, favours museums and galleries over art schools and libraries (Alberro, 2009). Intuitively, I see a flexible, impactful, and youth-focused approach in NSI that offers constructive criticism of more rigid, traditional institutions, particularly art schools (or the lack of art education in UK schools), which could better harness (or embrace where absent) the arts' social impact to address greater social issues, like good education or reducing inequality (Bishop, 2012; Kester, 2004). NSI's recent exhibition and the work they have undertaken to reach this point demonstrate a direct, practical application of art beyond aesthetics.
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 emphasises promoting peaceful and inclusive societies, ensuring access to justice for all, and developing effective institutions at every level. It aims to reduce violence, combat corruption, and strengthen governance, recognising these aspects as vital for sustainable development. By enhancing transparency and inclusive decision-making, SDG 16 supports the broader achievement of all Sustainable Development Goals. Therefore, art's institutional critique can contribute to advancing the impact of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
By fostering empathy, the arts and their education teach perspective-taking, emotional literacy, cross-cultural understanding, and shared humanity (Bennett, 1998). Simultaneously, the arts and art education enhance knowledge by developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills, communication abilities, awareness of social issues, self-reflection, identity, and historical and contextual understanding (Nussbaum, 2010).
As for direct contribution to violence prevention, art education, including its creation rather than just showing finished works in a gallery, can even promote reduced violence. For example, art programmes from kids to care homes can create safe spaces for expression. Art programmes can provide spaces of belonging and purpose for those seeking alternatives to violent engagement. Collaborative, participatory, public art, and socially engaged art practices can foster community building and advocate for social change, both locally and internationally (Bishop, 2012; Kester, 2004). The arts and art education nurture the human capacity for understanding and compassion, as well as creative problem-solving and problem-making, equipping people with the tools to help navigate differences peacefully and contribute to a less violent society (Bennett, 1998; Dewey, 1980, 2005; Fisch, 2016).
Both the arts and art education give voice to the lived experience of conflict, contributing to broader demands for justice and accountability, most abundantly through advocacy. The activism of the arts and its educational sponsors humanises conflicts and their victims by creating emotional connections, bearing witness, documenting truths, and revealing hidden realities (Dewey 1980, 2005). Art schools, galleries, libraries, and museums amplify silenced voices by providing platforms for the marginalised and break cycles of silence within our shared institutions (Alberro, 2009). Now and historically, the arts and art education challenge narratives and promote dialogue through questioning authority, teaching critical thinking, and fostering conversations (Kester, 2004; Nussbaum, 2010). Making and experiencing art can raise awareness, inspire movements, and demand accountability in our institutions.
NSI employs elements of co-design in its approach, which include subtle and implicit participatory ideation through thematic selection, question framing, and resource development outside traditional school provisions. As such, the core of NSI's approach involves the co-creation of content, a core co-design method that establishes youth as the primary content creators, teachers as enabling partners, and art, poetry, song, and speech workshops as collaborative spaces. In this approach, user-driven feedback (the creative content young people produce) serves as iterations of a process (changing approaches to themes, questioning, workshops, public engagements, and exhibitions), which includes submission volume and diversity, testimonials and anecdotal evidence and youth ambassadors acting as international representatives advocating for peace. The amplification this produces is a co-design outcome, creating shared platforms and audiences characterised by youth-centricity, empowerment through agency, multi-stakeholder collaboration, iterative learning, and a focus on impact.
By demonstrating a high-impact, grassroots approach, NSI provides a model that can inform and strengthen existing or new institutions dedicated to peacebuilding (Fischer, 2016). This approach prioritises human-centricity and emotional engagement, focusing on the 'why' of conflict and capturing experiences over statistics. It also cultivates bottom-up agency and ownership by empowering local voices and fostering a sense of ownership. By creating youth as future leaders, creating safe spaces for dialogue, and amplifying grassroots efforts to policy, this approach builds bridges and fosters intergenerational dialogue (Rancière, 2008). Empowering creative expressions in response to conflict is scalable and adaptable, grounded in a profound yet straightforward core that applies to diverse contexts. This approach acts as a reminder to complement top-down strategies with grassroots, arts-based, and youth-centred approaches (Kester, 2004).
NSI implicitly and explicitly addresses several other UN Sustainable Development Goals. For example, NSI offers an experiential and creative learning model that aligns with SDG 4: Quality Education by developing innovative and impactful art pedagogy. NSI's open call for submissions and workshops demonstrates inherent inclusivity, encompassing girls and boys from diverse backgrounds, thereby addressing SDG 5: Gender Equality by amplifying different voices. Additionally, NSI actively seeks participation from young people in every country, including conflict-affected regions and marginalised communities, showcasing a global reach to marginalised youth. NSI's model fundamentally relies on partnerships, volunteers, and charitable donations, collaborating with teachers, artists, and international organisations. This approach addresses SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals through its involvement in multi-stakeholder collaboration, including its open call for future knowledge exchange and research.
Forging Strategic Alliances: Opportunities for Knowledge Exchange & Funding
NSI and its recent exhibition exemplify these contributions to the UN SDGs, showcasing a model of socially engaged art and social impact through pedagogy and the arts, both as an institutional critique and a catalyst for UNSDG impact. I propose a partnership that leverages NSI's recent exhibition as a foundation for a funded research project. This initiative aims to explore the intersection of socially engaged art and its impact on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In seeking opportunities for partnerships in research and knowledge exchange, universities gain value in research collaborations, including joint research bids such as AHRC, UKRI, Horizon Europe, on the effectiveness of socially engaged art in peace education, evaluation of co-design models, analysis of youth narratives in conflict zones, or studies on the institutional impact of flexible, art-based NGOs. Alliances between sectors offer opportunities to co-design modules or programmes based on arts-based pedagogy for social impact, sustainable development through the arts, or the functional role of the arts in society. Enhancing student engagement through partnerships provides high-impact internships, including prior involvement with UAL students. This includes opportunities for postgraduate, PhD, and postdoctoral research, as well as practical applications for art, design, and performance students who are developing their social practices. Finally, partnerships with NSI, a third-sector organisation, could significantly contribute to universities' research excellence, knowledge exchange, and teaching frameworks.
Besides propositional value within universities' frameworks, forging alliances across sectors creates funding opportunities. NSI is an agile, impactful organisation that delivers measurable SDG outcomes through a unique, proven methodology, making it a compelling partner for a range of academic and philanthropic funding channels. Collaborating with NSI enhances a university's social responsibility, advances sanctuary efforts, supports curriculum development in climate, racial, and social justice, boosts the research profile, and increases the capacity to attract diverse funding for innovative and influential art and design projects.
Conclusion
In conclusion, my experience working with Never Such Innocence, allowed me to observe and consider its socially engaged art and co-design practices and its pedagogical model, providing a convincing approach to sustainable development through the arts' inherent social impact functions: personal well-being, education and self-development, social stratification and identity construction, and political instrument, to name a few.
I invite knowledge exchange and research departments to engage with NSI, not just as a charity, but as a strategic partner in advancing groundbreaking research, fostering pedagogical innovation, and delivering on the promises of the UNSDGs through the transformative power of the arts. I hope that forming alliances across these sectors will help us build a more peaceful and just world, together.
Partnership Enquiries Contact
Dr Joshua Y'Barbo
Lecturer in Academic Support at Wimbledon College of the Arts, UAL
Associate Lecturer in Design at Camberwell College of Arts, UAL
https://www.joshuaybarbo.com/
https://joshuaybarbo.blogspot.com/
https://www.instagram.com/ybarbojoshua
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuaybarbo/
Bibliography
Alberro, A. (2009). Institutions, Critique, and Institutional Critique. In: A. Alberro and B. Stimson, eds., 2009. Institutional Critique: An Anthology of Artists' Writings. MIT Press.
Bennett, T. (1998). Culture: A reformer's science. Sage Publications Ltd.
Bishop, C. (2012). Artificial Hells: Participatory Art and the Politics of Spectatorship. Verso.
Bourriaud, N. (1998, 2002). Relational Aesthetics. Les presses du réel.
Dewey, J. (1980, 2005). Art as Experience. Perigee Books.
Fischer, S. (2016). “The Role of Art in Peacebuilding and Social Change.” International Journal of Arts and Technology, vol. 9, no. 3, 2016, pp. 237–252.
Freire, P. (1968, 2000). Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Continuum.
Kester, G.H. (2004). Conversation Pieces: Community + Communication in Modern Art. University of California Press.
Nussbaum, M.C. (2010). Not for Profit: Why Democracy Needs the Humanities. Princeton University Press.
Rancière, J. (2008). The Emancipated Spectator. Verso.
UNESCO. (2014). The Role of Arts Education in Sustainable Development. UNESCO Publishing, 2014.
Comments
Post a Comment