SIMM-seminar #12: Luxemburg 2026 (research on social art(s) practice)

Social Art(s) Practice Research Seminar

A Three-Day Research Exchange

Dates: September 7-8-9, 2026
Location: Dpt. of Education and Social Work, University of Luxemburg, Luxemburg

This intensive three-day seminar brought together socially engaged practice-researchers from diverse arts disciplines. The event created a unique space for researchers working across different participatory, social, and community contexts to share experiences and methodologies.

Report

Here you can read a report of the seminar, shortly presenting some those who participated in this research seminar, as well as some of the most important issues and topics touched upon:

SIMM#12_Research Seminar on Social Arts Practice_report

Organisers

The seminar was jointly organised by:

This marked SIMM’s 12th seminar since 2015, and the 2nd edition of a research seminar focussing on different artistic disciplines active within participatory art projects. While events initiated by SIMM mostly focus primarily on music, this seminar expands to encompass multiple art forms, fostering cross-disciplinary learning and exchange.

The facilitators of the seminar were Dr. Filip Verneert (Chair Jonet, Ghent University, BE), Prof. Sean Gregory (Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London), Prof. Luc Nijs (Institute for Musicology and the Arts, University of Luxembourg & Chair Jonet, Ghent), Prof. Potheini Vaiouli (Department of Education and Social Work, University of Luxembourg), and Prof. Dr. Lukas Pairon (SIMM & Chair Jonet). As facilitators they during this research seminar helped the participants in sharing their experiences and ideas and research methodologies.

Participants

The nine invited researcher-participants represented a wide range of disciplinary, artistic and geographical perspectives.

  • Tormod Wallem Anundsen — University of Agder, Norway. His contribution concerned the development of the international Music in Action in Contemporary Society (MUSACT) Joint Master’s programme and the idea of musicians as socially engaged actors.
  • Giullia Assmann Knothe — São Paulo State University (UNESP), Brazil. Her doctoral research examines mental health, gender and inequality among music students.
  • Shannon Burns — Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick, Ireland. She brought research on intergenerational learning and teaching in community band practice.
  • Federica Felli — Conservatorio “Santa Cecilia” and CPIA 3 Rome, Italy. Her action research investigates music, migrant identity, language learning and intercultural dialogue.
  • Chinelo L. Njaka — independent sociologist and textile/fibre artist, affiliated with Peckham Rights! in London and the WARC School, United Kingdom / international. Her Visual Storywork research explores Black textile practice as visual narrative, cultural memory and knowledge production.
  • Günsu Özkarar — Maltepe University Conservatory, Istanbul, Turkey. Her work examines early-childhood music-making, family participation and the Music Together approach.
  • Karin Elinor Sauer — Cooperative State University Baden-Württemberg, Faculty of Social Work, Germany. Her research concerns community music, social work, artistic activism and participatory action research.
  • Sandra Sinsch-Gouffi — Catholic University Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Germany. Her research develops Transformative Enabling Didactics for musical learning and participation in forensic psychiatry.
  • Maia Steinberg — independent researcher and director of VoCreation, Uruguay / Netherlands. Her interdisciplinary participatory work explores voice, personal narratives, artivism and social transformation.

The scientific committee for this seminar was composed of: