Partnership or Perish? A Study of Artistic Collaborations

Though collaboration has been evident throughout the History of art, the purpose of this study was to examine the process and structures of collaborative artistic practices that have re-emerged in the contemporary art world. In framing this research various factors which have impacted on the re-emergence of collaborative artistic practices ‚Äö- the role of the artist, the perception of art making, and societal and cultural influences were also considered. Three case studies were utilised for this research: the Parliament House Embroidery (1984 ‚Äö- 1988); the Victorian Tapestry Workshop (1976 - ); and the Partnership or Perish? exhibition (2006). The extensive documentation and archival resources available affected the choice of the first two case studies, with the third being chosen due to my curatorial role in the Partnership or Perish? exhibition. All of the case studies have been publicly acknowledged as being the result of a collaborative process. Each of the case studies provided insights into the process of collaboration and the characteristics necessary for a successful and sustainable artistic collaboration. The data gained through observation, interviews, and collation as well as QSR computer software analysis from the selected case studies, when coupled with information gained from current literature on artistic collaborative practices was utilised to formulate a model for collaboration. These findings were compared and contrasted to collaborative processes operating in various sectors such as the arts, technology, the community and education. The findings present an extensive list of factors and characteristics which are essential in initiating and maintaining a collaborative process, resulting in a recommended arts model for those wishing to engage in the collaborative process.