Introduction: A critical focus on art-based research

This introduction to the second part of a special issue on ‘Opportunities and challenges in art-based research’ proposes critical examination as a way to advance this increasingly recognized approach to research that nevertheless elicits resistance and hesitation within applied arts professions. Art-based research is defined as the use of personal expression in various art forms as a primary mode of enquiry. These studies may accompany or include the artistic expressions of others but their unique feature is the making of art by the researcher.