Artistic Integrity in the Age of Co-Creation: Trust, Respect, and the Ethics of Collaboration
- Eda Tibet
- 17. Apr.
- 4 Min. Lesezeit
In our increasingly interconnected world, “co-creation” has become a guiding principle for interdisciplinary work, from research and development projects to campaigns and storytelling initiatives led by NGOs. The spirit behind it is vital: working together, across disciplines and cultures, to build more just, creative, and sustainable futures.
But let’s be clear: co-creation is not a catch-all for consensus, nor is it a green light for everyone to have a say in every aspect of a collaborative process. True co-creation is built on mutual trust and deep respect. It means allowing people to do what they do best; scientists to investigate, community members to guide, artists to create, and communication experts to communicate, with full recognition of their expertise and boundaries. And this is where artistic integrity must be defended, clearly and urgently.
Who Are We Talking About When We Say “Artists”?
When we speak of artists, we refer to those who work with deep intentionality and craft in their medium, whether film, photography, sound, music, performance, visual arts, storytelling, installation, or experimental forms that transcend genre. These are not just “content creators,” a term that has become popular in the age of social media but risks flattening the labor, vision, and long histories behind artistic practices.
An artist is not simply someone who makes things. An artist is someone who reflects, challenges, imagines, and transforms, often engaging with complex cultural, social, and emotional landscapes. Their work is embedded in context, in relationships, and in meaning-making. To reduce artists to "creators" is to treat their output as mere product, stripped from the processes, risks, and lived experiences that inform it.
Artists think through materials, emotions, metaphors, and time. They are researchers in their own right, albeit through non-linear, intuitive, and sensory modes of inquiry. And when artists are brought into collaborative projects, especially those led by NGOs or academic institutions, they should be treated not as accessories, but as core co-thinkers and co-authors.
On Misuse and Misappropriation
Artists are not content factories or plug-ins for communication strategies. Their work is not a side note to the “real” deliverables. Artistic labor is intellectual, emotional, spiritual, and often deeply relational. When NGOs or institutions invite artists into collaborative spaces, it should be with full awareness that they are inviting a process one that is often unpredictable, emergent, and non-linear. It requires trust. It demands space.
Yet, far too often, we see the opposite. Artists are brought in to “co-create,” only to have their ideas extracted, their contributions repurposed, or their creative choices overruled. Their empathy for a cause is treated as a resource to be mined, rather than a gift to be held with care. This kind of practice isn’t just ethically questionable, it undermines the entire premise of co-creation.
We need ethical frameworks and best practices that center artistic freedom and intellectual property, especially when creative work intersects with advocacy, research, or public-facing campaigns. This includes clear crediting, fair compensation, creative control, and above all, respect. Not just respect for the artist as a person, but for the integrity of the artistic process itself.
Collaboration Is Not Control
For any professional, the message is clear: trust the artist to deliver on what they do best. Don’t impose strategies after the fact. Don’t commission a work only to reshape it beyond recognition. If your goal is authentic storytelling or transformative engagement, you must allow creative work the room to breathe, challenge, and provoke.
For NGOs and academic institutions, the responsibility is even greater. Many artists work with you not for profit, but because they believe in your mission. That belief must not be abused. Empathy should never be exploited. Instead, build partnerships based on reciprocity and care, where values, not just outcomes, guide the collaboration. Because co-creation is not about controlling every step, it’s about stepping back where needed, and letting others shine.
Let us build collaborations that are not only effective, but ethical. Where the process reflects the values we claim to uphold. Where artists are not used, but truly included. And where the outcome is richer because every voice was respected, not overridden.
10 Principles for Ethical Artistic Collaboration
Respect Artistic Integrity Artists must retain full creative freedom and authorship over their work. Their vision and process must be recognized as central, not peripheral to the collaboration.
Recognize Artists as Experts Artists are not “content providers.” They are meaning-makers, researchers, and cultural thinkers. Treat them as such.
Ensure Fair Compensation Pay artists fairly for their time, labor, and intellectual property. Cause-driven motivation should never substitute remuneration.
Honor Empathy, Don’t Exploit It Artists often engage out of shared values. That solidarity should not be manipulated or expected to override professional standards.
Establish Clear Agreements Early Discuss and document roles, rights, responsibilities, and expectations from the outset. Avoid ambiguity.
Protect Intellectual Property Artists retain ownership of their ideas and works unless explicitly agreed otherwise. Reuse or adaptation must involve consent.
Foster Reciprocity and Long-Term Relationship Engage with artists as collaborators, not content producers. Value their input across all stages of the process.
Make Space for Process Art is not always linear or predictable. Embrace the complexity and allow creative methods to shape the outcome.
Promote Visibility and Recognition Credit artists visibly and publicly across all platforms and events. Do not anonymize or background their contributions.
Stay Accountable Build feedback loops. Allow artists to express concerns and reflect on the process, not just the final product.
Author’s Note , Dr.Eda Elif Tibet
This reflection is rooted in personal experience as a filmmaker, anthropologist, and long-time collaborator with NGOs, universities, and civil society initiatives across the globe. It speaks to a growing pattern many artists face when entering institutional spaces under the promise of co-creation; only to find their work reshaped, redirected, or misappropriated. It is time we engage in open conversations and set better standards that protect creative integrity and honor the spirit of genuine collaboration. Let us be intentional with how we work across disciplines and with how we treat those we invite into the process.
Commenti