Ethical approaches to creative community collaborations

This chapter discusses a range of perspectives on ethics that arise from the deployment of artistic and creative practice in heritage contexts. Specifically, these are examined through the lenses of both community collaborations and the use of digital technologies in heritage research. These topics and their ethical implications are explored using a case study drawn from community heritage work on Erromango in Vanuatu undertaken as part of a larger UK government-funded research project: One Ocean Hub. While One Ocean Hub had global ocean governance as its primary research focus, the sub-project in this case study was looking specifically at ocean heritage, indigenous knowledge and intergenerational knowledge sharing. The creative methods adopted by this project, its relationship with UK-based collaborators and funders, logistical issues, licensing and dissemination modes all posed particular challenges that highlight the broader need for long-term consideration of ethical approaches in any heritage- and arts-based project.