Current trends in university-community partnerships: the arts as an engine for cooperative development [Keynote]

Universities inhabit a complex space, striving for eminence in research and knowledge dissemination in a competitive global market, yet situated in place, culture and community. Asset Based Community Development requires sustainable practices, the sharing of knowledge and power, and outcomes negotiated between partners. While these strengths-based approaches appear to be inconsistent with contemporary practices for the conduct and reporting of research, this paper reports upon a new paradigm. Networked global relationships, both formal and informal, allow new and multi-layered cooperation by which artists and researchers may co-operate, create, co-generate power and articulate unique social and cultural positions