Reference
Rijpens, Julie, Mathilde Courtemanche, Julie Bérubé. Enjeux et apprentissages d’une démarche de recherche-action déployée pour soutenir l’innovation sociale en milieu culturel : le Centre de services du Théâtre Aux Écuries. 93e congrès annuel de l’ACFAS, Colloque Regards pluriels sur la recherche pour la transformation sociale. Trois-Rivières, 2026.
Summary
Our presentation explores the challenges and lessons learned from a collaborative research project between academic researchers and practitioners aimed at assessing the impact of the Service Centre established by Théâtre Aux Écuries (TAÉ). In a context of increasing precarity within the cultural sector, TAÉ launched its Service Centre in 2022 to support artistic creation by providing theatre production companies with access to specialized resources at fees scaled according to their level of public funding.
The study seeks to understand the Service Centre’s impact on artists, cultural professionals, and the broader cultural sector, while identifying the organizational characteristics that contribute to these outcomes. The project adopts an action research approach, with TAÉ actively involved at every stage of the research process. This methodology is particularly well suited to remaining responsive to the needs identified by practitioners, recognizing the value of diverse forms of knowledge, and examining the organizational changes initiated through the Service Centre.
Drawing on a reflexive perspective, the presentation will discuss the challenges and lessons associated with this collaborative approach by addressing the following questions: What conditions foster meaningful collaboration between researchers and practitioners? What are the impacts of action research, both through the research process itself and its outcomes? How can mutual learning be encouraged while addressing the needs and expectations of both the research community and the professional sector?