Let’s Create - Responsibilities - Rights and ethics
Rights and ethics
Many of the artists involved in the research talked about the responsibility of being aware of the ethics involved in co-created work. The ethical landscape is complex, with many factors at play.
Artists discussed the issue of who holds the rights to co-created work and how much ownership professionals and non-professionals have over the work. There are also complex ethical responsibilities around the use of people’s personal stories and the need to ensure that these are not being used for the artist’s benefit.
Quotes from the research
“Who owns co-created work? I mean, I have never made money out of any of the co-created work that I have been involved with. But the purpose of the work is to showcase the creativity of other people, not yourself. And that's a key distinction, isn't it?”
“I think there's a habit in our work, people deny themselves in it, they say ‘oh it’s all their own work.’ And there's loads of problems with that. One, it's a lie. Two, it's often used as an abdication of responsibility when things don’t go well.”
“If you're using their material to make something larger you need to set up very clearly how you're going to use material generated with them. Be clear how you're going to come back to them to get the feedback.”
“You have to hold the responsibility of always asking, whose stories are being told and in whose hands are they being held? Often artists will come and go. They work with this group, work with that group, and then they’re off again to the next thing. I think there's a responsibility for organisations probably, but also for artists to think about what's the legacy of the work? Even if the legacy isn't with the artist? Because so many times groups feel like you've just taken off at the end of the project having used our lived experience or expertise, and you've just used it for your shiny project, and there was nothing left for me. There's no ownership for me in my life, or legacy.”
Listen to the podcast
with Ned Glasier
Ned Glasier is a theatre director, consultant and advocate for young people. As the founding artistic director of Company Three, a multi-award winning company working with young people in North London, Ned created hundreds of projects for and by young people, including Brainstorm at the National Theatre/BBC iPlayer, When This Is Over at the Yard Theatre and the Coronavirus Time Capsule digital project. He has supported thousands of artists and organisations across the world through his training, practice-sharing and consultancy.
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