Valuing arts and arts research.

Arts have a significant impact on the way we understand the world. It is widely accepted that arts are able to inspire people and direct attention to things that really matter; they help not only to understand how the material world affects us, but also to acknowledge the importance of these influences on our wellbeing. Moreover, through the process of creative engagement, individual reflections can become shared cultural experiences and vice versa. Where the social and natural sciences produce verifiable evidence based on data, the arts and artists can create singular perspectives that have wide resonance. While any great work of art increases our understanding of the world, not all arts processes lend themselves to research collaborations, particularly with other disciplines.