In the practice of making change: revolutionary dynamics in creative practice research at the convergence of critical, creative, theoretical, and academic spaces
Postgraduate peer-reviewed edition of Creative Matters
Guest-edited by Nicol Cabe, Chloe Cannell, Kendrea Rhodes and Juliette Sauvage
In the university context creative practice research combines artistic practices and academic research methods. We conduct our work within established boundaries of practice and research, with known methodologies, whilst also attending to what is emergent and novel, often intentionally confronting received traditions. This mode of researching poses a challenge to established and accepted modes of knowledge production, and thereby has the potential to enable more diverse epistemologies.
Postgraduate creative practice researchers move between methods and methodologies, between the critical and creative – simultaneously learning academic conventions and challenging their practices with experimentation. Articulating these processes and discoveries within the context of research can be challenging but critical to developing discourses that elucidate not only the discoveries of the research but also the value of creative practice research as an epistemic tool/activity.
This peer-reviewed special issue invites current postgraduate researchers and early career researchers (within one year of graduation) to reflect on their methods of knowledge production and experimentation at the converging sites of theory and practice.
Some questions that might lead your discussion might be:
- What new theoretical and/or creative directions have you discovered?
- Has working within an institution changed your practice or your view of your practice or research?
- What are the tensions experienced during the creative process in these settings?
- What conditions have given rise to change through the processes of experimentation and knowledge production?
Other questions may be more appropriate to your work and experience, which we welcome. More generally, we invite you to consider how new modes of inquiry might be conducive to challenging the status quo, and reflect on the potential future impacts of new theoretical directions, processes, methods, and/or techniques. How can creative practice research be leveraged in change-making through emergent modes, processes, and novel theoretical directions?
Contributions are accepted from all creative disciplines, including visual and performing arts, design, creative writing, online digital media, music, and screen production.
Editorial panel & peer-review
The annual Creative Matters peer-reviewed edition for postgraduates is guest-edited by a team of four creative practice researchers in varying stages of their research training journey – second year, third year, recently submitted, and recently graduated. This team is mentored, by the Creative Matters Editor and DDCA Board, through a peer-review process of all submissions. Review will be based on appropriateness to the theme and general guidelines, as well as scholarly contribution. Peer-review feedback will be provided to the selected submissions. Chosen contributors will have the opportunity to revise and resubmit before publication.
Key dates
Submissions close Monday 12 May 2025
Notification of outcome mid August 2025
Final submissions of accepted works due early September 2025
Publication October 2025
Submission guidelines
All submissions must include:
- CREATIVE or CRITICAL work (see below for further details)
- 150 word abstract
- 50 word author/artist biography
- references using Harvard reference style
- two jpg/png images to be used on the website
CREATIVE SUBMISSIONS
In addition to the above, all creative submissions include:
- creative work (see parameters below)
- research statement of 700-1000 words which speaks to the theme of the issue
- Abstract up to 150 words
Written creative work:
- Creative writing: maximum 1,500 words
- Poetry: maximum 60 lines
Audio creative work:
- 5 – 15 minutes (.WAV, .MP3, .ACC)
Audiovisual creative work:
- 5 – 15 minutes (.MP4)
Visual creative work:
- Digital art: JPEG 300 dpi, 1200 x 900px
- Photo/scan of visual art work: JPEG 300 dpi, 1000px (long edge)
If your work does not fit within these guidelines please get in touch to discuss: submissions@ddca.edu.au
CRITICAL SUBMISSIONS
In addition to the above, all critical submissions include:
- critical work up to 3000 words addressing the theme of the issue. Submissions will be reflexive on the nature and form of the practice which speaks to the theme of the issue .
- abstract up to 150 words
Copyright
All artists and authors maintain copyright to their own original work as per Australian copyright law.
AI
Creative AI artwork submissions or critical work written in collaboration with AI will not be accepted, however, critical submissions that include analysis of AI and AI artworks, where it addresses the theme of this journal edition, are accepted. Please contact the editors for further information, submissions@ddca.edu.au
Email submissions and any queries to submissions@ddca.edu.au
Main Image credit: Kendrea Rhodes, Played Fragments, mixed media, 2021.