Walking the Land recognises it is crucial to address and embed ethical considerations of care through the entirety of project/research processes to support the success of the project and prevent potential conflicts.
Our Project Principles, Project Assessment and Project Participation forms are considered essential for navigating potential ethical impacts of action led creative research practices. They are designed to underpin the complex intersections of creativity, ecology, and human experience to deliver responsible, meaningful creative exploration, outputs and community engagement.
Project Principles:
- We define walking as inclusive of all body types, including wheelchairs, mobility scooters, walking or other technological aids for disabled people and anyone with mobility issues.
- Care that no harm (psychological, emotional, physical) is caused to participating artists (researchers), participants, and environments.
- Require Project Assessment forms to validate proposed projects.
- Require fully informed written consent Project Participation forms with project goals, possible impacts, rights to withdraw and cut-off dates for withdrawal explained for project leaders and participants. Vulnerable or disadvantaged citizens will have particular consideration with under 18s requiring their own consent and guardian approval.
- Participants will be informed how their data will be used and shared.
- Participants interviewed have the right to request anonymity and confidentiality.
- Artists retain ownership and copyright of their individual creative outputs and research data.
- Transparent records of decisions, processes, and ethical challenges must be maintained clearly stating project and research limitations.
- Artists should engage in peer review or feedback to validate research integrity.
- Documentation must consider the representation of individuals, communities and sensitivity to landscape as per LRG best practice guidelines:
- Individuals have the right to be described in respectful and thoughtful ways adopting gender inclusive language and inclusive society frameworks.
- Adopt people-first language.
- Recognise the past and continuing evolution of language and its consequences.
- Prioritise self-identification.
- Reflect the diversity of landscape and art research scholarship.
Environmental Responsibility:
Duty of Care: participants should understand local ecosystems, seasonal cycles and landscape vulnerabilities to avoid accidental harm. Creative outputs should not negatively impact people, environments, or communities.
Minimal Impact Principle: Prioritise sustainable research and creation processes, assessing ecological effects before altering landscapes for art. Ensure physical interventions prioritise sustainability and restoration. Avoid misrepresenting ecological, cultural, or human realities for aesthetic purposes.
Procedural and Research:
Self-Determination: Participants’ rights to participate, refuse, or withdraw from the research will be respected.
Reciprocity: Provide online gatherings that encourage mutual respect and the development of reciprocal connections among participants.
Deference: Project dissemination will acknowledge all contributions, ensuring all are valued and respected.
Cultural Well-being: Recognise landscapes as sites of cultural heritage, memory, and identity.
Community Engagement: Where landscapes interact with local communities, collaboration should recognise shared ownerships and respect community narratives.
Compliance: Participants will abide by all applicable environmental laws and ethical guidelines for research relating to the project.
Anonymity and Privacy Artists must agree to protect the identity and personal data of individuals in their project, respecting their wishes and complying with local norms and laws.
For more information please email wtl@walkingtheland.org.uk