This working group explores the transformative role of arts-based methods in social-ecological systems (SES) research. Knowledge co-production processes, where creative practices such as storytelling, music, theatre, and design are centred,  increasingly help facilitate communication and connection, foster diverse knowledge exchange, and support collective learning. By attending to affect, care, and wellbeing in research, these methods help transcend disciplinary and epistemological boundaries and promote more inclusive and equitable responses to SES challenges.

The working group offers a space to examine how arts-based methods align with SES research, support transformative inquiry, enable ethical and place-based participatory approaches, and challenge hierarchical and colonial research tendencies. Through co-learning sessions, reading groups, and webinars, the working group explores how arts-based methods have and could be applied, drawing insights from literature and experts within and beyond the SocSES community. Ultimately, the working group seeks to inspire researchers to collaborate and integrate these methods into their work.

Working group members include Silvana Juri, Mia Strand, Lívia Cruz, Vanessa Masterson, Liebrecht Fick, Marysol Ortega Pallanez and Mario Torralba.