Using Practice-Based Methods to Co-create, Define, and Articulate a New Approach to Art Education in the National Gallery of Australia

Galleries and museums increasingly value participatory learning for its ability to foster deeper audience engagement, yet many lack clear frameworks to implement it effectively. The National Gallery of Australia and the University of Canberra undertook a 15-month collaboration to develop a participatory learning framework tailored to the National Gallery’s unique context. This research demonstrates that practice-based inquiry and participatory approaches can generate inclusive, context-specific models of education and professional learning within cultural institutions. Central to the project was a series of six full-day workshops that combined qualitative inquiry, participatory action research, and practice-based methods of co-creation. The workshops engaged the Gallery’s interdisciplinary Learning Team to build pedagogical capacity, strengthen collaboration, and articulate a shared set of teaching values. Participants were positioned as co-researchers, contributing insights through reflective practice and practice-based activities. The resulting framework outlines pedagogical principles and aligned teaching strategies to support participatory learning across the Gallery’s programs.