Overview of Research

Caroline Boileau and Natasha S. Reid, 2022.

My research explores identity, artistic ways of knowing, and the power of narrative, primarily in relation to art museum and community art education. This research often showcases the stories of individuals and groups whose voices have traditionally rested on the sidelines.

I regularly work with narrative-based methodologies, such as life history research, to better understand and communicate the experiences of community and museum art educators. Such research enables practitioners to engage in deep reflective and holistic thinking that leads to better understandings of their own practices and those of their colleagues, as well as positive change within their organization.

Additionally, my research investigates social inclusion, collaboration, and democratic practices in museum education. I have studied and piloted innovative methods for infusing a variety of publics’ artworks into galleries in an effort to make these spaces more inclusive and active.

My work is also concerned with social justice and critical multiculturalism in art museum education, and the strength of contemporary art in engaging with these notions. For example, using oral history methodologies and critical race theory, I examined best practices in multicultural education in contemporary art museums.

Research Projects

2022:

Co-Investigator, IMPACTS: Collaborations to Address Sexual Violence on Campus, SSHRC Partnership Grant (Project Director Dr. Shaheen Shariff, McGill University).

2017-2022:

Community Partner (as the Director of the Visual Arts Centre), IMPACTS: Collaborations to Address Sexual Violence on Campus, SSHRC Partnership Grant (Project Director Dr. Shaheen Shariff, McGill University).

2015-2016:

PI, Understanding Lived Museum Histories: Preparing a Teaching Art Museum Culture, National Art Education Foundation Research Grant.

2012-2013:

PI, Current realities of multicultural education in contemporary art museums: Stories from art museum educators of colour, Fonds de recherche société et culture Postdoctoral Research Fellowship.

Select Publications

Garcia, C, Mitchell, C., Carter, M. R., Ezcurra, M., Reid, N., Nyariro, M. Tissenbaum, S., (2022). Arts-based interventions for sexual violence prevention: A toolkit. McGill University. https://www.mcgill.ca/definetheline/files/definetheline/a_toolkit_arts-based_interventions_for_sexual_violence_prevention_garcia_et_al._2022.pdf

Reid, N. S. (2021). Gallery as third space: Making a safer site for engaging with difficult knowledges. Canadian Art Teacher. 17(2), 13-23. https://csea-scea.ca/3d-flip-book/canadian-art-teacher-vol-17-no-2-2021/

Reid, N. S. (2019). Developing a Collective Learning Arts Space: Implications for Art Educators in Diverse Settings. In E. Garber, L. Hochtritt, & M. Sharma (Eds.), Makers, crafters, educators: Working for cultural change. (p. 49).New York, NY: Routledge.

Reid , N. S., Derby, J., & Cheng, T. (2019). Investigating multiracial identities through visual culture: Disrupting the white supremacist norm in art education. In A. M. Kraehe, R. Gaztambide-Fernández, & B. S. Carpenter (Eds.). Palgrave Handbook on Race and the Arts in Education. (pp. 489-502). New York: Palgrave MacMillan.

Reid, N. S., & Chambers, P. (2018). Coming into our own: An arts-based collaborative self-study of the first semester. In A. Kemp (Ed.). Dignity of the calling: Educators share the beginnings of their journeys. (pp. 333-337). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Press.

Reid, N. S. (2018). Textures of identity: A social justice program for teachers in a museum. D. Kletchka & S. B. Carpenter (Eds.). Professional development in art museums: Strategies of engagement through contemporary art (pp. 118-128). Reston, VA: National Art Education Association.

Reid, N. S., Cinquemani, S., & Farrar, C. (2017). Kids know about art: Amplifying underrepresented voices in art museums through mentorship. Journal of Visual Inquiry: Learning and Teaching Art, 5(3), 379-392.

Reid , N. S. (2016). The university museum and institutional critique: A platform for contemporary practices. The International Journal of the Inclusive Museum, 9(4), 1-15.

Reid, N. S. (2015). [Review of the book Teaching and learning in a diverse world]. Teachers College Record.

Reid, N. S. (2014). Personal perspectives on multiculturalism: Narratives from art museum educators of color. In. Joni Boyd Acuff and Laura Evans (Eds.). Multiculturalism in Art Museums Today (pp. 19-35). New York: AltaMira Press.

Reid, N. S. (2014). Multicultural art education through & with contemporary art: Positioning the contemporary art museum as a leader in generating positive change. Muséologies, 7(1), 81-101.

Reid, N. S. (2014). Getting there: Exploring art museum educators’ paths to the profession. Visual Arts Research, 40(2), 111-118.

Noël Smith, B. L., Becker, K. L., Miller, L. R., Reid, N. S., & Sorenson, M. D. (Eds.) (2014). Collective unravelings of the hegemonic web. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

Reid, N. S. (2013). Carving a strong identity: Investigating the life histories of museum educators, Journal of Museum Education, 38(2), 1-12.

Reid, N. S. (2012). The Contemporary Identities of Art Museum Educators as Told Through Their Life Histories. Doctoral Dissertation. Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec. http://spectrum.library.concordia.ca/974564/1/Reid_PhD_F2012.pdf

Reid, N. S. (2012). Infusing visitors’ artwork into gallery spaces: Expanding possibilities & developing relationships. Canadian Art Teacher, 1(11), 20-33.

Reid, N. (2012). Inclusive art gallery practices: Exploring collaborative processes in outreach community programming. Canadian Review of Art Education, 38, 68-82.

Reid, N. (2009). Creatures of comfort: Installation as reflective practice. Studies in Material Thinking, 3, 1-16. (https://www.materialthinking.org/papers/45)

Dissertation

Reid, Natasha S. (2012) The Contemporary Identities of Art Museum Educators as Told through Their Life Histories. PhD thesis, Concordia University.

https://spectrum.library.concordia.ca/id/eprint/974564/

Select Recent Presentations

Reid, N. S. (April 2022). Art Galleries and Difficult Knowledge: Developing Safer Spaces for Engagement. 15th International Conference on the Inclusive Museum. Online.

Reid, N. S. (November 2021). The Art Hive as a Metaphor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives. Canadian Society for Education through Art. Online.

Reid, N. S. (June 2021). Making a contemporary art gallery a safer site for engaging with difficult knowledges (Video Mosaic segment). Montreal Museum of Fine Arts International Conference Art as an Agent for Change: How do Art, Museum, and Education Practices Inspire Action, Montreal, QC.

Reid, N. S. (November 2020). Directing an Art Gallery: A Pedagogue’s Perspective. Centre Turbine’s Journée pédagogique, Montreal, Quebec.

Beavis, L, Ezcurra, L, Reid, N. S., Shariff, S. (June 2019). In/Visible: Body as Reflective Site Curators’ and IMPACTS Director Talk. Visual Arts Centre,  Montreal, Quebec.

Reid, N. S. (March 2018). Making Together: Artists and Community Art Spaces Mobilizing for Social Change. Keynote Address for Concordia’s Art Education Graduate Student Symposium, Montreal, Quebec.

Burns, J. W., Farrar, C., Miller, O., & Reid, N.S. (June, 2017). Strategic Planning for the Teaching Museum: The University of Arizona Museum of Art Case Study. Association of Academic Museums and Galleries, Eugene, Oregon.

Reid, N. S., & Chalas. A. (March 2017). Why It Matters: Supporting Change through Educational Program Evaluation in Art Museums. National Art Education Association, New York.

Reid, N. S. (October 2016). Museum Meanderings: Sensory Examinations of Visitors’ Paths to the Museum, International Visual Literacy Association, Montreal, Quebec.

Reid, N. S. (March 2016). Preparing a Teaching Art Museum Culture: Lived Histories Leading the Way. National Art Education Association, Chicago, Illinois.

Reid, N. S., Black, B., Medill, K., & Romero, D. (March 2016). Positioning Students as Leaders in Promoting Participatory Museum Cultures. National Art Education Association, Chicago, Illinois.

Derby, J., Reid, N. S., & Cheng, T. (March 2016). Investigating Multiracial Identities through Critical Race Theory and Visual Culture. National Art Education Association, Chicago, Illinois.

Cinquemani, S. Farrar, C., & Reid, N.S. (March 2015). “I Wonder What That Is?”: The Curatorial Voice of Children. National Art Education Association, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Sharma, M., Shin, R., & Reid, N. S. (March 2015). Overlapping Identities: Inter/national Experiences with Multicultural Art Education. National Art Education Association, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Reid, N. S. (January 2015). Museums for Change: Social Justice Art Education in Academic Art Museums. Hawaii International Conference on Education, Honolulu, Hawaii.