On creative writing and historical understanding

This article draws upon the author’s experience of using art-based research to develop historical understanding. It considers how artistic enquiry, specifically creative writing, presents opportunities to explore aspects of human experience that one cannot examine within the disciplinary conventions of historical scholarship. Yet the article also considers the challenges of creating art that is responsible to history, encouraging like-minded artists to reflect upon questions of artistic intent, integrative research methodologies, creative license and the formation of collective memory