Lisa Boivin, Sarah de Leeuw, and Darian Goldin Stahl

Art and Indigenous health and well-being: Arts-based research strategies

June 2026

This report examines the motivations and structures for arts-based research (ABR) into Indigenous Peoples’ health. Beginning with Dr. Lisa Boivin’s digital collage of Muskox as an example of ABR, the authors present three main ABR frameworks: participatory action research, Two-Eyed Seeing, and Indigenous-led research. While each of these frameworks vary on leadership commitments and philosophies, they all exemplify the benefits of ABR as democratizing, insightful, and healing approaches to Indigenous health research. Certain ethics protocols are necessary for conducting and disseminating ABR. Researchers must consider how ABR ensures reciprocity with Indigenous co-researchers, builds capacities for communities to continue ABR for themselves, and ensures data sovereignty. The authors also report on the challenges of conducting ABR. Institutional priorities of time, funding channels, and bureaucracy may be misaligned with community values or procedures. With thoughtful consideration, arts-based research can promote culturally relevant approaches to understanding First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples’ health.

View or download the report (PDF)