Practical rationales for art-science in science communication

Abstract

Arts-based methods are increasingly employed to foster public engagement with science. While science communication research offers several theoretical justifications for integrating art and science, little is known about the motivations driving science communication practitioners. This study bridges research and practice by investigating why science communication professionals and institutions incorporate arts-based approaches into their programmes, exhibitions, and initiatives. We recruited 18 science communication professionals at the international Ecsite Conference for interviews about their recent art-science initiatives. Our findings reveal three key rationales for using arts-based methods: to make science more accessible, to engage a broader diversity of audiences, and to generate new knowledge that can only be attained through art-science collaborations. Rather than adhering to a single rationale, it seems that practitioners are fluidly navigating between these rationales, using them as flexible, context-dependent strategies. This challenges the notion of a singular ‘best practice’ in art-science communication and instead advocates for a bricolage approach–one that embraces complexity, tensions, and the evolving nature of the field.