The theoretical component of artistic research in doctor of arts education: from a text-centred model to reflection on artistic practice
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32405/2308-8885-2026-2(120)-62-67Keywords:
artistic research, artistic practice, creative project, theoretical component, artistic process, reflection, assessment, Doctor of ArtsAbstract
The article examines the problem of defining the status of artistic research within the third level of higher education. This problem arises from the transfer of text-centred research models to fields in which knowledge is generated directly through artistic practice. The study analyses the dual nature of the outcome of artistic research, which combines a creative project and a theoretical component, and identifies the contradictions that emerge in their presentation and assessment.
The findings indicate that requirements for the theoretical component that are based on doctoral models developed for PhD education do not fully account for the specific nature of artistic activity and may shift research efforts from creative practice toward compliance with academic writing conventions. It is argued that the defining factor is not the volume of the written text but its functional role within the research structure and its capacity to provide documentation, conceptualisation, and reflective interpretation of the artistic process.
Drawing on an analysis of international theoretical approaches to artistic research and on the experience of implementing educational and creative Doctor of Arts programmes at the National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture, the article proposes understanding the theoretical component as a tool for documenting, conceptualising, and reflecting upon artistic inquiry. In this context, the theoretical component is intended to record the logic of the creative process, the sequence of decision-making, and the reasons behind the transformation of artistic solutions during the development of a creative project.
The article also proposes an approach to the assessment of artistic research that takes into account the interaction of creative practice, artistic outcomes, and authorial reflection. Within this model, the theoretical component is evaluated primarily according to its ability to explain the logic of artistic inquiry, justify artistic decisions, and reveal the relationship between the research question and the creative outcome.
The results of the study may contribute to the further development of educational and creative programmes, the refinement of requirements for the theoretical component, and the advancement of the methodology of artistic research in Ukraine.
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