Dear friends,

I have recently completed a small research project entitled “Present and Future of Peacebuilding with Art-Based Methods.” This study adopts a decolonized perspective and evaluates the current state of the art as a method of peacebuilding, analyzing strengths and weaknesses, and providing guidelines for future research and interventions in this field. I will share it privately with those interested.

This field has grown rapidly, increasing by 400% over the last six years. This indicates growing interest, although significant research on activities like poetry, music, dance, painting, visual arts, performing arts, theater, storytelling, and photography remains unnoticed because it is not classified under the term “art-based method” or “art-based.” Similar challenges are faced by peacebuilding projects, as activities such as conflict transformation, conflict resolution, reconciliation, social cohesion, and community building are not classified as “peacebuilding.” “Peacebuilding” was coined by the UN in 1992, and all governments and supranational entities use it as an umbrella term to cover different concepts; therefore, there is no uniform global code today. I can share a scientific study that confirms this.

It is interesting to note that when searching for studies on SCOPUS using the terms “art-based” and “peacebuilding,” only 162 studies are shown (as of July 2023). However, when cross-referencing related terms, there is a potential reach of 45,190 studies. What does this mean? This discrepancy highlights the fragmented nature of research in art-based peacebuilding, suggesting the need for more comprehensive and unified research. A scoping review with well-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria could reformulate and expand this broad field into a scientific study encompassing about 3,000 studies. This initiative could establish a new international direction for integrating art-based methods into peacebuilding research and practice.

I am working to form a multidisciplinary group to advance this research and contacting organizations that can support it in various ways, whether through know-how, financially, or otherwise.

I believe there is an international gap in connections, making it very important to create a network and a virtual platform for knowledge exchange that could have a significant impact, not only on practitioners, researchers, field operators, and governmental organizations but also on increasing general awareness of its effectiveness and consequently leveraging existing educational material that is surely available but not shared.

With this goal in mind, I am working to organize an international forum on art and culture for peacebuilding in the Canary Islands, which the Spanish state has promoted through Senate act 662/000129 to make the Canary Islands an International Zone for Peace Culture and Human Rights.

This forum will serve as a platform to connect practitioners and researchers, exchange knowledge, and generate new ideas. Finally, this extensive research to be conducted, the creation of a virtual platform to establish a network, exchange information and educational material, and the forum where all this converges in real relational terms, are interconnected.

I am seeking global collaboration to advance these efforts. If you are interested or have contacts who can contribute, such as peace research centers, foundations, funding organizations, or individuals who wish to be useful and have time to dedicate, please do not hesitate to contact me.