SSHRC Knowledge Synthesis Grant – The Arts Transformed

Program Link: https://sshrc-crsh.canada.ca/en/funding/opportunities/knowledge-synthesis-grants/2025/ksg-arts-transformed.aspx

Sponsor: Social Science and Humanities Research Council

Value: $30,000 | 1 year

Description: For a full program description, including eligibility requirements, allowable budget expenses, and evaluation criteria, see: https://sshrc-crsh.canada.ca/en/funding/opportunities/knowledge-synthesis-grants/2025/ksg-arts-transformed.aspx

This Knowledge Synthesis Grants competition is to mobilize, examine and synthesize social sciences and humanities research on The Arts Transformed. The resulting syntheses will identify roles the academic, public, private and not-for-profit sectors could play in promoting more inclusive and equitable societies, and could inform development of effective tools and technologies, robust policies and sustainable practices needed to support the path toward a diverse and inclusive future for all. This Knowledge Synthesis Grants funding opportunity is informed and shaped by cross-sectoral and diverse perspectives, including from subject matter experts, policy leaders and community leaders.

From an underwater public sculpture park to a multisensory, immersive live performance using body sensors and virtual reality, the arts world is blooming with new artworks that use cutting-edge technologies and explore novel venues for artistic expression. In parallel, the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns, as well as mounting sustainability concerns, have accelerated adoption of new digital tools and practices. This includes using online platforms to manage art collections, and integrating virtual, augmented and mixed reality technologies, with applications ranging from museum exhibits to the fashion industry. The arts are now more readily accessible to anyone with internet access, although further effort is needed to support equitable distribution of benefits from these innovations, particularly in the Global South.

Digital platforms, such as YouTube, Spotify and TikTok, offer both established and emerging artists new avenues for producing, distributing and monetizing their work, as well as new opportunities to engage and expand their audiences. They can give visibility and voice to new, previously excluded creatives. While new forms of artistic expression continue to evolve, digital technology has not displaced the predominant models of production and distribution in the cultural sector. Platform algorithms can also increase competition among artists and reinforce existing inequities by undermining unconventional art forms / artistic expression in favour of mainstream content, leading to increasingly homogenous art. Francophone and Indigenous content in Canada are likely to be disproportionately impacted by this issue.

As generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems continue to evolve at an exponential rate, complex legal, ethical and philosophical questions have surfaced as to how we define art and the role of the human artist in the creative process. In response to the multiplication of artwork generated by AI systems, future art lovers may seek out more authentic, human-made artworks for their intrinsic artistic value. The proliferation of deepfakes has also brought to light the shortcomings in existing legislative and regulatory frameworks designed to protect artists and copyright holders. Future reforms to copyright laws present an opportunity to remove barriers preventing adequate protection of Indigenous data sovereignty and copyright protection on Indigenous art, culture and knowledge. In addition, studies have revealed deep flaws in generative AI models and their algorithms, leading to racial and gender biases that exacerbate disparities in the real world, disproportionately impacting the representation of Black individuals and Black history and culture in image and text. To combat these issues, concerted efforts will be needed by the AI industry and cross-sectoral stakeholders impacted by its systems, with support from artists and activists. Against the backdrop of the climate crisis, it is also imperative to consider the environmental impact of new technologies, and repercussions for future generations.

The issues mentioned above, as well as shifts in private and public funding, add to the precarity in the arts and culture sector. Slow adoption of digital technology in many arts organizations; low data literacy rates; declining attendance at live venues, museums and galleries; and declining philanthropic investment pose existential threats to the sector. Rising inflation in recent years has been detrimental to a creative industry already hard hit by the pandemic. The current housing crisis in Canada and the process of gentrification, extending beyond residential areas to local venues and art spaces, add to these challenges. The loss of affordable arts spaces has a ripple effect on cities and communities, which can no longer benefit from the cultural and economic advantages the arts provide. The impact of these crises will be particularly felt by marginalized communities that possess fewer resources. Even so, these challenges create an opportunity to rethink policies as well as funding criteria and funding streams in the arts and culture sector, with a view to broadening their scope to include cultural spaces and art activities not reflected in the current narrative.

Despite the vulnerability of the creative sector, it is important to acknowledge the role the arts can play in a world facing a looming “polycrisis” precipitated by a convergence of complex crises, such as climate change, fragile health-care systems, political polarization, rising inequalities and more. Greater engagement in creative activities can help mitigate these crises by strengthening social cohesion, promoting positive health outcomes, reinvigorating local economies, and reducing challenges associated with an aging population.

Finally, complex societal challenges also offer a unique opportunity to reconsider the impact of arts education in equipping students with a set of valuable and transferable skills, including creative thinking, problem solving, persistence and resilience. In the workplace, training based on artistic methods, which frequently involves grappling with the unknown, can be a valuable tool for preparing for an uncertain and unpredictable future. Beyond this, the arts are powerful and can serve to educate and further sensitize the general public to pressing issues, such as racial injustice and global warming, through creative media that have been used to provoke deep reflection and engagement for millennia.

Knowledge Synthesis Grants

Knowledge Synthesis Grants support researchers in producing knowledge synthesis reports and evidence briefs that:

• support the use of evidence in decision making and the application of best practices; and
• assist in developing future research agendas.

Applicants must address the following three objectives in their proposals:

1. State of knowledge, strengths and gaps
   • critically assess the state of knowledge of the future challenge theme under consideration from a variety of sources, as appropriate;
   • identify knowledge strengths and gaps within the theme;
   • acknowledge Indigenous knowledge systems and research methodologies when appropriate; and
   • identify the most promising policies and practices related to the theme.
2. Research data
   • assess the quality, accuracy and rigour (i.e., methodological approaches) of current work in the field; and
   • identify strengths and gaps in the quantitative and qualitative data available.
3. Knowledge mobilization
   • engage cross-sectoral stakeholders (academic, public, private and not-for-profit sectors) and/or First Nations, Inuit and Métis rights holders throughout the project to mobilize knowledge related to promising policies and practices; and
   • use effective knowledge mobilization methods to facilitate the sharing of research findings with cross-sectoral stakeholders and Indigenous rights holders.

This Knowledge Synthesis Grants funding opportunity is guided by the following questions:

1. Drawing on domestic, international and/or cross-sectoral evidence, what can researchers tell us about these issues?
2. How might the findings guide public policy, practice and research agendas for Canada and the world in the immediate and long term?

SSHRC welcomes applications involving Indigenous research, as well as those involving research-creation.

Expected outcomes

Knowledge syntheses are comprehensive analyses of literature and other forms of knowledge on a particular question or issue. All types of knowledge synthesis approaches, tools and protocols, such as scoping reviews, systematic reviews and narrative syntheses, are encouraged under this funding opportunity. Synthesized results can include qualitative, quantitative or multimethod research.

Knowledge Synthesis Grants are not intended to support original research. Rather, they are intended to support the synthesis of existing research knowledge and identify knowledge gaps. This call is particularly focused on the state of research produced over the past 10 years.

In support of these objectives, Knowledge Synthesis Grants will help identify roles that the academic, public, private and not-for-profit sectors, including Indigenous rights holders, can play in developing and implementing robust policies, best practices and tools.

Successful applicants will be required to:

• complete a synthesis report (maximum 40 pages) and two-page evidence brief within 10 months of receiving the grant;
• in compliance with the Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications, deposit their final synthesis report into an institutional or disciplinary repository that will make the report freely accessible, and include the resulting link in their evidence brief;
• participate in a virtual kick-off webinar (tentatively scheduled for May 2026);
• participate in a virtual knowledge mobilization forum after the grant has been awarded (tentatively scheduled for spring 2027) to share research findings with community practitioners and knowledge users in various sectors (further details about the forum will be shared with successful applicants when finalized);
• use a headset with an integrated boom microphone or an approved table-top microphone (eligible expense in the requested budget) to participate at each knowledge mobilization event (see more information); and
• provide the names of at least two to three potential knowledge users (individuals) to be invited to the knowledge mobilization forum.

Successful applicants will receive guidelines for completing their synthesis report and two-page evidence brief. SSHRC will make all evidence briefs publicly available on its website as appropriate. See examples of final reports and evidence briefs produced through recent Knowledge Synthesis Grants funding opportunities for additional guidance.

Signals of change and thematic questions

The questions and subthemes listed below aim to demonstrate, through some examples, the breadth of the global challenge of The Arts Transformed. As this is not intended to be an exhaustive list, we welcome proposals on all other topics/issues relevant to this future challenge area.

• What strategies and policies could be developed and adopted in the future to strengthen intellectual property protection of Indigenous knowledge, art and cultural expressions?
• How do deaf and disability arts practices contribute to greater accessibility and inclusion in the arts sector?
• In the context of decolonization and the restitution of cultural artefacts to their place of origin, what are the obligations to Indigenous rights-holders, and related implications, of museum institutions conducting assessments of artefacts’ provenance?
• Should music created using health and physiological data for specific purposes, such as relaxation, sleep induction or exercise, still be considered creative art?
• In light of the transition from an object-centric to a visitor-oriented approach, what are the implications of museums using cutting-edge technologies to collect valuable data on visitors’ experiences?
• How would the inclusion of Culture as a specific United Nations Sustainable Development Goal contribute to support of governmental initiatives aimed at funding art and funding sustainability-oriented creative spaces?
• What economic impacts could result from sustainability-oriented concepts, such as visible mending in the fashion industry or retrofitting and reuse in architecture, becoming mainstream in the future?
• How might artists’ economic precarity impact their artistic freedom?
• How can arts education be further leveraged to improve awareness of social justice and critical thinking?
• To what extent can artist-in-residence programs, which promote collaboration between artists and host organizations from the public and private sector, support entrepreneurship and innovation, or well-being and social change?
• As the number of artworks generated by AI continues to grow, what would the implications be for artists if future copyright laws and regulations allow machines to hold copyright?
• How do technology companies, and the products they create, reinforce patriarchal values, and what impact does this have on the creative sector?
• As emerging technologies become obsolete, what are the implications for the long-term preservation of digital artwork?
• Historically, how is the advent of generative AI comparable to the invention of photography or of music based on digital sampling?
• To what extent does AI-generated artwork depend on machine learning algorithms and the quality of the training dataset, and what are the implications for the human artist who uses text prompts to guide the AI system?

This call for proposals invites applications from researchers in any discipline that can inform and contribute to the objectives of the funding opportunity. Future challenges cross multiple sectors and research disciplines, and require broad collaboration to address them; applicants are encouraged to submit proposals featuring multidisciplinary research teams.

SSHRC welcomes applications involving Indigenous research, as well as those involving research-creation.

All researchers are encouraged to consider the themes through an intersectional lens, to yield a better understanding of how this challenge can affect different people, communities and populations in a variety of environments.

Knowledge syntheses related to First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities should be participatory and collaborative, prioritizing research completed by Indigenous communities and Indigenous-led organizations, and grounded in Indigenous worldviews and approaches to research. For guidance and resources, see SSHRC’s Indigenous Research page.

OSE applicants please contact UBC-O’s Office of Research Services for internal deadlines.

Contact: If you have any questions, contact Robert Olaj in ORE or SSHRC at KSG-SSC@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca | Toll-free: 1-855-275-2861