Who Cares?
How can we foster a culture of community care on the Sunshine Coast based on emergent strategies through arts-based co-design processes?
“Who Cares?” is a three-year research, design, and arts-based collaboration funded by CCSIF aimed at fostering a culture of community care on the Sunshine Coast through arts-based co-design processes. Building on emergent principles identified by Adrienne Maree Brown, this project looks at how we can foster an emergent model of care from the strength of relationships, connections, and networks in the Sunshine Coast community.
This is an evolving research approach that adapts and develops over time based on the community’s experiences, insights, and needs. Participatory art and design-based activities serve as a foundation for our team to identify gaps in the current care system, recognize existing strengths, and explore opportunities for future improvement.
As we take a deep dive into exploring how the community can care for elders, and their role in doing so, some of the questions we are asking include:
- What does care mean to you?
- What are your experiences of care?
- Where do sites of care exist in the community?
- Where can care be cultivated and amplified?
This project is led by an interdisciplinary team including artists, designers, researchers, and recreation therapists from the Health Design Lab at Emily Carr University, the Therapeutic Recreation Program at Douglas College, and Deer Crossing the Art Farm, an arts non-profit on the Sunshine Coast. Additionally it engages with many community organizations, public sites and services on the Sunshine Coast, looking at how we can engage community, beyond dedicated health organizations, in how we care for elders.
Engagement Approach
This project takes an interdisciplinary and community-based approach to all project activities. Our work is rooted in the concerns, ideas, and dreams of the Sunshine Coast community at large, engaging people of all ages in conversations through arts-based co-design processes.
Community engagement includes:
- Community workshops.
- Community pop-ups and installations.
- Lunch n’ learns.
- Interviews and focus groups.
- Community connector conversations.
Knowledge Sharing
Updates and information about current project activities can be found on our dedicated project website: https://whocaresproject.org/.
Project Collaborators
Partners:
Deer Crossing the Art Farm
Douglas College
Funder:
College and Community Social Innovation Fund Grants – NSERC
Canada Council for the Arts
HDL Project Team:
Caylee Raber
Jon Hannan
Nadia Beyzaei
Otilia Spantulescu
Maria Azam
Chelsea Burke
Nada Salama
Timeline:
Jun 2022 – Jun 2025
