Community, research and public partnerships: A multimedia photo essay exhibit exploring the role of place in shaping the life chances and health outcomes of young people who are living with or at risk of HIV in Vancouver

The value of incorporating arts-based methods into qualitative health research is increasingly being recognized. The creation of photo essays by research subjects is one example of an arts-based approach, which can be effective in surfacing some of the layers of meaning and experience that are incorporated into places and bodies across time. Since the beginning of 2011, a group of 20 young people who are living with or at risk of HIV have been working in collaboration with the Nominated Principle Applicant (Dr. Fast) to produce a series of photo essays around diverse themes chosen by the individual artists (e.g., "home in the city," "experiences of institutionalization," "my future," "becoming a parent"). Many of these young people have expressed a desire to share their photo essays and narrated stories with a broader audience. A multimedia photo essay exhibit, which includes visual as well as narrative and audio content drawn from in-depth interviews, represents a valuable opportunity to showcase young people's work, as well as some of the key findings of Dr. Fast's larger ethnographic study. It also represents a valuable knowledge translation opportunity. The proposed activities aim to critically evaluate and disseminate the process, challenges, opportunities and outcomes of a four-year photo essay project and final exhibit produced in collaboration with young people who are living with or at risk of HIV in Vancouver. In the context of the proposed activities, the photo essay project and final exhibit will be used as a vehicle to talk about arts-based methods more broadly from a number of target audience perspectives, including young people who are living with or at risk of HIV, youth-focused service providers, researchers, students, artists and other members of the general public.