The VisionArte Methodology: Visual and Sensory Tools in Community-Based Action Research with Indigenous Youth in San José de Chiquitos, Bolivia

Abstract

Community-Based Participatory Action Research (CBPAR) promotes collaborative knowledge production and social transformation by engaging community members as co-researchers. However, sustaining meaningful participation and equitable communication remains a challenge, particularly in settings marked by power asymmetries and cultural complexity. This article introduces the VisionArte methodology, which integrates arts-based methods and sensory ethnography to foster youth engagement and enhance dialogical processes within CBPAR. Developed through fieldwork conducted in 2023-2024 with Indigenous youth in San José de Chiquitos, Bolivia, the study explores how visual and sensory tools, such as visual mapping, embodied exercises, and data portrait drawing, can build trust, strengthen communication skills, and amplify marginalized voices. A central finding is the transformative potential of collective sensory envisioning exercises, which enabled youth to articulate pressing concerns, ranging from domestic violence and healthcare access to pollution and narcotrafficking, while simultaneously challenging researchers’ assumptions about local priorities. By emphasizing co-creation, emotional attunement, and community-driven design, the VisionArte methodology demonstrates how tailored visual and sensory approaches can foster inclusive participation, redistribute epistemic power, and support long-term engagement in participatory research. This article contributes to the growing literature on arts-based methods in CBPAR by offering both theoretical insight and practical guidance for designing equitable research interactions.