How do arts-based communities conceptualise their contribution to social justice for people living with intellectual disabilities? : A scoping review

This study reports key concepts of arts-based communities (ABCs) regarding their contribution to social justice for people living with intellectual disabilities and provides a foundation for future research. A scoping review was carried out, following the systematic search-strategy approach proposed by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. To extract data, a data-charting form for characteristics and topics of included publications was developed. Thirty-three publications were included in the review. Concepts and terminology were synthesised into key concepts.
The identified key concepts are: empowerment and self-advocacy; social interaction, belonging and inclusion; awareness and challenging stigma; advocacy for rights and social change; and skills and employment. These concepts can be related to aims of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and to claims in art therapy literature.