Using the arts to support inclusion and involvement in research

Dr Megan Wyatt, who is a practicing painter and academic, delivers a programme of art workshops within a wide range of community and care settings across England and Wales.

Megan is developing a body of research which explores how the arts can be used to support new avenues of engagement, communication, and co-production involving older people and people living with dementia. The particular focus is supporting participants to engage with different mediums as a means of expression. This sharing of experiences facilitates their direct involvement in research.

Megan’s recent workshops explore participants' wishes, experiences, and perspectives of care through art. A key aim has been to use painting to enable the voices of people living with dementia and care partners from a wide range of minority ethnic communities and underserved communities to be heard.

Findings from this programme of work have informed GIAM’s research priorities and have been integrated into our research outputs. Megan is producing a body of research and publications which demonstrates the importance of the arts in supporting communication and inclusion for individuals whose voices may otherwise be unheard.