Art, learning and the mobilization of knowledge for ‘good’ healthcare organizations

Presented is a case illustrating connections between art, learning and the mobilization of knowledge. As part of an assessment task in a Master’s degree, a student made a painting about her experiences with workplace harassment and bullying in the surgical ward that she managed. I interviewed this student and made my own artworks to better understand her workplace and learning experiences. We then discussed our respective artworks and recorded those conversations. These data suggest that art-making can create powerful learning experiences, change attitude to health management practice, make connections and generate productive conversations within a healthcare organization, and mobilize knowledge. The paper responds to the question: Can art be ‘paradigm-shifting’ and therefore hold potential for creating a ‘good’ or better organization? It also reflects on the use of art in organizational research more generally, especially in an era considered by some to be ‘postparadigmatic’.