Strangeness and Oddity: Embracing the Extraordinary in Arts-Based Research

“Blessed are the weird people -- poets, misfits, writers, mystics, painters & troubadours -- for they teach us to see the world through different eyes” - Jacob Nordby

What happens when we look beyond the ordinary? Can the strange and the peculiar hold the key to deeper truths about our world and ourselves? In what ways does the “bizarre” serve as a mirror for societal norms, fears, and desires?

Throughout history, the extraordinary has often been misunderstood—yet it has also been the birthplace of revolutions in thought and creativity. From the surrealists who redefined art and consciousness to the pioneers of experimental media who dared to imagine new forms of expression, the extraordinary has consistently shaped and reshaped our cultural landscapes. So in the creative arts, the strange and the odd invite us to question, provoke, and transcend. These are the catalysts for unique insights and innovations that inspire new perspectives.

At “Strangeness and Oddity: Embracing the Extraordinary in Arts-Based Research”, we celebrate this legacy of bold exploration and invite you to contribute to it. This transdisciplinary conference challenges you to journey into the unknown, where curiosity meets creativity and the bizarre becomes a gateway to profound insights. We aim to take a deep dive into the world of strangeness and oddity within arts-based research. We seek to unravel the enigma of the unusual, celebrate the beauty in the bizarre, and draw inspiration from the mysterious and the unconventional.

We invite scholars, creatives, and anyone passionate about the intersection of creativity, research, and the unusual to share their ideas and collectively push the boundaries of what arts-based research can achieve. Whether you’re a seasoned researcher or a visionary creative, your work in progress, case studies, or theoretical explorations are welcome to at this online event, which promises to be a transformative exploration of the unconventional, the unexpected, and the extraordinary in arts-based research!