RShop team completes study

At the beginning of 2024, CDIC reached out to the McMaster University’s Office of Community Engagement (OCE), requesting support in researching some of the hypothetical factors related to the decision to contribute (or not) to CDIC’s collection. In no time, the OCE had a dynamic team put together under their Research Shop program.

The multidisciplinary team, led by Syed Mahamad, included Hamza Abouiznied, Mia Brufatto, Lily Li, and Lina Mabayyed undertook to identify motivations and barriers influencing the preservation of children’s artwork by families, and contributions to CDIC. Understanding these factors is crucial to increase CDIC’s ability to educate the public on the significance of children’s art and preserve it for future generations.

In total, 113 participants aged between 18 and 64 completed the online survey, and all Canadian provinces plus three territories were represented.

The team produced a report filled with never before documented insights on children’s art conservation as personal, family, or cultural heritage. Ninety (80%) of the survey participants reported that their parents saved their artwork when they were children, is but one such insight.

The study reveals that the main motivations for preserving children’s artwork within the home are:

  • Tracking the child’s artistic and personal development
  • Appreciating the artwork’s aesthetic value, and
  • Maintaining emotional connections to the pieces.

By far, the biggest barriers to preserving artwork in the home were a lack of space to physically store the artwork and time constraints.

Regarding contributing to the CDIC archive, the main motivating factors were:

  • The opportunity to share and celebrate the artwork with a broader audience,
  • The child desires to contribute to the archive, and
  • Receiving incentives, including crediting the child as the artist and/or small giveaways.

Factors that discouraged participants from contributing to the archive included:

  • A lack of knowledge about the CDIC and its mission,
  • Perceived logistical challenges with the artwork submission process, and
  • Reluctance within the family to part with the original artwork.

The research team included recommendations based on their findings. The new knowledge emerging from the study will help CDIC to review its communication tools, as well as its collection development strategies.

At this point, it seems that CDIC should simultaneously address the need of families that seek as much exposure as possible for their images, and the need of families that prefer a restrained access limited only for archival and research purposes.

Stay tuned to see how CDIC will adapt for better serve contributing families, and reach out to other collection users. For the great project partnership, CDIC would like to thank the research team, as well as Evan Gravely and the Office of Community Engagement, at McMaster University.

Reasons why participants were interested in contributing to the CDIC archive. Source: McMaster University, 2024.

Research interviews for Canadians

Calling all Canadian residents. Take part in an interview that will help uncover new knowledge about children’s art conservation. A research team at McMaster University Research Shop is looking for parents and grand parents who will give an hour of their time before April 1st, 2024. Scan the QR code below or use this link to request an interview. 

The interview will be conducted individually on Zoom, and will be about art and children’s art. Participants will receive a $25 gift card for their participation. Please note that interview spots are limited. Participants will be selected to interview such that various backgrounds and perspectives are represented. People not selected for a live interview will have the opportunity to fill out a questionnaire if they wish to share their input.

For further information, contact project lead Syed Mahamad (mahamads@mcmaster.ca, 905-525-9140 ext. 26804).

If you have a virtual or wall bulletin board, by all means post and share this PDF poster and spread the word for us.

Research Shop at McMaster University is a co-curricular program that works with public, non-profit, and community organizations in Hamilton. It supports students with research opportunities in the community.

We would like to thank the Office of Community Engagement at McMaster University for facilitating this partnership.

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