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The activist-musician: Embodying and communicating environmental and climate action in Australian mu

Ethical clearance code: GU ref no: 2021/605

Who is conducting the research
Principal Researcher: Dr Leah Coutts
Contact Phone: +61 7 3735 6345
Contact Email: l.coutts@griffith.edu.au
School/Centre: Griffith University Creative Arts Research Institution

Research Team
Associate Professor Donna Weston, Griffith University Creative Arts Research Institution
Mathew Klotz, Griffith University Creative Arts Research Institution
Professor Vanessa Tomlinson, Griffith University Creative Arts Research Institution

This project aims to arrive at a preliminary understanding of the parameters of activist-musicianship evident within Australian environmental and climate action initiatives and to understand activist-musicians’ perspectives and insights into their craft. This project also seeks to understand whether the term ‘activist-musician’ resonates with musicians who currently embed environmental and climate action messages within their creative endeavours, and to gain insight into self-perceived identities of such artists.

This research will benefit the academic community working in the field of music and environmental/climate action by developing a deeper understanding of the motivations and approaches used by musicians wishing to contribute to social change. 

What you will be asked to do:
As an identified musician in Australia whose music initiatives align with environmental/climate action, you are invited to complete a survey to share your perspectives. This survey will take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete. 

There is no foreseeable risk in participating in this study. The study does not seek any personal or sensitive information, and you have the ability to remain anonymous unless you would like to a) share specific examples of your musicianship and/or b) be considered to participate in an interview that delves more deeply into the included topics. Participation is voluntary and you are welcome to withdraw at any time.

Your confidentiality/How we are going to use your personal information:
Unless you provide your name within the survey, responses are anonymous with no identifiable data collected. Survey responses will remain anonymous within resultant research publications unless you have expressed that you would like to be identifiable and have provided your name within the survey. If you would like to be identifiable, you will also have the opportunity to share links to your music initiatives that have embedded messages of social change. These links may be referred to within publications that utilise data from the survey. 

Survey data will be stored and accessed appropriately by the researcher only and will comply with Griffith University’s Privacy Plan, which can be found at http://www.griffith.edu.au/about-griffith/plans-publications/griffith- university-privacy-plan. Alternatively, you are welcome to telephone (07) 3735 4375 to ask any questions about storage of research data. 

Please note that the University’s email system and document management system involves the storage of emails/documents within the cloud and as a result personal information may be stored overseas. The University has entered into arrangements which protect the privacy of this data. Any data stored outside of Australia may be subject to compulsory access through process of law, under the relevant jurisdiction in which it is stored.
If you have any further questions relating to the project, please do not hesitate to contact the team leader on the contact details above.

Feedback to you:
Given the potentially anonymous participation of the survey, a summary of the survey results will be available via email request only. Please email l.coutts@griffith.edu.au if you would like to receive a copy. 

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* 1. ‘By submitting this survey, I agree to participate in this project. I confirm that I have read and understood the information provided and in particular:

• I understand that my involvement in this research will include completion of this survey;
• I have had any questions answered to my satisfaction;
• I understand the risks involved;
• I understand that there will be no direct benefit to me from my participation in this research;
• I understand that my participation in this research is voluntary;
• I understand that if I have any additional questions I can contact the research team;
• I understand that I can contact the Manager, Research Ethics, at Griffith University Human Research Ethics Committee on 3735 4375 (or research-ethics@griffith.edu.au) if I have any concerns about the ethical conduct of the project;
• I understand that I am free to withdraw at any time, without explanation or penalty;
• I understand that I may be identified or identifiable in publications or presentations resulting from this research if I choose to provide my name and/or links to my music initiatives;
• I understand I have the choice to express interest in further participation; and
• I agree to participate in the project.'

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* 2. What genre/s of music do you engage with as a musician?

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* 3. What is your gender?

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* 4. What is your age bracket?

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* 5. Where do you live?

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* 6. What type of musician do you identify as? (select all that apply)

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* 7. What is your music education background? (select all that apply)

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* 8. Do you feel your music education prepared you for your engagement with environmental/climate action through your music?

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* 9. Would you like to expand on your previous response?

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* 10. Do your music initiatives explicitly aim to embed or communicate messages of environmental protection or climate action?

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* 11. What change do you hope to inspire through your music initiatives? (select all that apply)

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* 12. Are there more specific details you would like to provide in relation to the type/s of change you would like to inspire?

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* 13. What type of message/s do you communicate through your music initiative/s? (select all that apply)

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* 14. Are there more specific details you would like to provide in relation to the messages you aim to communicate through your music initiatives?

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* 15. How do you incorporate these messages into your music initiatives?

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* 16. If you would like to provide links to your relevant music initiative/s, please do so here. Feel free to add any description that you think would be of benefit.

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* 17. Do you collaborate with other artists? (select all that apply)

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* 18. Do you collaborate with people from other disciplines, and if so, could you describe how? (e.g. industry, scientists, engineers etc)

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* 19. What benefits (if any) do you think these collaborations (artists or other) bring to the environmental/climate action messaging?

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* 20. What impact do you hope your music initiatives make?

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* 21. Can you describe any evidence of the impact your music initiatives make? (e.g. metrics, invitations to perform/collaborate, reviews, social media comments)

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* 22. What types of venues do you perform your environmental/climate music initiatives at? (select all that apply)

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* 23. What leads the development of your music initiatives? (select all that apply)

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* 24. Do you identify as an activist?

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* 25. Do you consider your music initiatives as a form of activism?

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* 26. Would you like to expand on your response?

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* 27. How would you define activism?

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* 28. Would you consider yourself an activist-musician? (someone who explicitly uses their music in service of a message of change)

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* 29. Please provide a brief description of what inspired/motivated you to use your craft in service of environmental/climate action.

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* 30. Is there anything else you would like to add in relation to your environmental/climate music initiatives?

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* 31. Thank you for completing this survey. If you are interested in learning about the next stages of this research and in receiving an invitation to be interviewed, please provide your name and email address below.

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