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Background: The Artistic Exploration Lab (2025–2026), an interdisciplinary initiative led by RED NOSES International within the CultureAndHealth Platform, supported early-career artists to develop and conduct action research projects within their own arts and health practices. Through a series of in-person and online labs offering mentorship and peer exchange, artists investigated how artistic practices support health across diverse contexts such as aging, neurodivergence, immigration, and motherhood.

Objectives: The Lab aimed to:

1. support artists to refine meaningful, manageable research questions;
2. test accessible methods for capturing change in diverse settings;
3. explore inclusive methods of sharing insights with a range of stakeholders; and
4. nurture an interdisciplinary, international peer learning network.

Methods:

The Lab followed an action research approach with a focus on embodied knowledge and social change. In group sessions, artists explored innovative methods such as body mapping, image theatre, meditation, and creative timelines. For their field-based projects, participants supported one another to utilize strategies such as journaling, interviews, artefacts, surveys, and observation.

Insights: Several insights emerged:

1. Embodied tasks clarified abstract questions, helping artists identify what could genuinely be observed or changed.
2. A strong safety and consent culture enabled deeper inquiry, especially in sensitive settings.
3. Simple methods proved adaptable and effective for noticing small shifts in participants, relationships, and practice across diverse contexts.

Implications: The Lab structure offers a scalable model for building research capacity in arts and health and generating practice-based evidence across multiple contexts.