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• Voicing Silence

Voicing Silence – Participants Information Sheet

VOICING SILENCE
Participants information sheet dated 
8.02.20

This event is part of the Thinking Through Extinction project, a partnership between the University of Leeds and Manchester Museum. Its objectives are: 1) to better understand how members of the public understand, feel about, and respond to, the global extinction crisis; 2) to explore the role of museums in engaging members of the public with extinction. In addition to bringing together academic scholars and museum curators, the project is funding an independent artist to produce a public, participative and collaborative artwork that will be hosted in the museum.

Invitation to take part in the artist’s research

You are being asked to take part in one aspect of this research project: an interview / workshop in which you will explore the different understandings, feelings and beliefs surrounding the global extinction crisis, which will then feed into material that will be used in the final artwork.
Before you decide it is important for you to understand why the research is being done and what it will involve. Please take time to read the following information carefully and discuss it with others if you wish. Ask us if there is anything that is not clear or if you would like more information. Take time to decide whether or not you wish to take part.

What is the purpose of the project?

These interviews / workshops are an important part of the artist’s remit to explore, and record, a range of public responses to the concept of extinction. The purpose of these activities are to help the artist to gather information about this issue, and to co-create, with you, the materials that will constitute the final artwork (in the form of words, images, recorded messages). Responses that you give to questions may be used in the final work to represent different perspectives, reactions, and opinions on this issue.

Do I have to take part?

It is up to you to decide whether or not to take part. If you do decide to take part you will be given this information sheet to keep (and be asked to sign a consent form) and you can still withdraw at any time without it affecting any benefits that you are entitled to in any way. You do not have to give a reason.

What do I have to do?/ What will happen to me if I take part?

You will take part in facilitated conversations, interviews, and / or creative exercises (writing poems, stories, collages, drawings, sculptures) both in small and large groups. Conversations may be audio and video recorded, and material derived from recordings used to create the final artwork, or to write a report from the event for academic publication, using anonymised names if so requested.

What are the possible disadvantages and risks of taking part?

You will be discussing some topics that may trigger difficult emotions. Whilst the purpose of the exercise is to facilitate open and supportive exploration of such topics, our facilitators are experienced in safe-guarding and making sure that you feel under no pressure to participate where you do not feel comfortable or safe to do so.

What are the possible benefits of taking part?

You may find the day helpful in exploring important and under-looked aspects of the reality of the global extinction crisis, as well as finding it a safe space to share otherwise taboo or difficult topics. You may also find the conversations empower you to take positive action in response to extinction. It is also hoped that the outcome of the day – a public artwork, which will also be available to museum visitors, will be of public benefit and of interest to campaign groups campaigning around ecological issues.

Do I have to take part?

It is up to you to decide whether or not to take part. If you do decide to take part you will be given this information sheet to keep (and be asked to sign a consent form) and you can still withdraw at any time during the workshop without it affecting any benefits that you are entitled to in any way. You do not have to give a reason. If you do complete the workshop, you will not be able to withdraw the information.

Use, dissemination and storage of research data

Transcripts, audio and video recordings, will be stored as word files on secured University networks, and may be reproduced on the project website.

What will happen to my personal information?

Your personal details (contact, name) will only be held in University file storage for the duration of the project (until December 2021).

What will happen to the results of the research project? 

All the contact information that we collect about you during the course of the research will be kept strictly confidential and will stored separately from the research data.  We will take steps wherever possible to anonymise the research data so that you will not be identified in any reports or publications.

Will I be recorded, and how will the recorded media be used?

Conversations during the day may be recording in audio and video, for the purpose of producing the work of art, and any academic and art writing that comments upon the art work. No other use will be made of them without your written permission, and no one outside the project will be allowed access to the original recordings.

Who is organising/ funding the research?

This project is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, as part of a larger, EU funded consortium project ‘Extinction as Cultural Heritage’, between the University of Stavanger, The University of Leeds, and Poznan Municipal Gallery.

Contact for further information

Stefan Skrimshire

Botany House, University of Leeds

s.skrimshire@leeds.ac.uk

0113 343 5266