‘It’s complex, it’s messy, it’s beautiful’ An Arts-led method to explore identities in the workplace
Authors: Lenz, T.
Conference: UCU Equality Conference
Dates: 15/05/2026
Publication Date: 15/05/2026
Abstract:Submitted Abstract: ‘It’s complex, it’s messy, it’s beautiful’- An Arts-led method to explore identities in the workplace This paper engages directly with intersectionality by using the Social Graces to explore how multiple identities shape workplace experiences. It addresses identity, stories and struggles through reflective and visual methods, and contributes to equality data discussions by making lived, intersectional power dynamics visible beyond organisational metrics.
This paper presents the methodology and multi-layered methods developed for the author’s PhD, which explores the relationship between Newly Qualified Social Workers and their managers. The study is grounded in Social Constructionism and uses an arts-led approach to data co-creation. Central to the research is the use of the Social Graces model, which supported participants to reflect on how different aspects of identity shape their sense of privilege, oppression, safety and visibility at work. This opened conversations about what they need to feel safe in practice, what enables them to perform well, and what support they require from their organisation to thrive in their careers.
The study engages directly with intersectionality by applying the Social Graces as a framework for exploring how multiple identities shape everyday workplace experiences. Through reflective and visual methods, the approach surfaces identity, stories and struggles in ways that extend beyond organisational metrics, offering a richer and more contextualised understanding of equality issues.
Philosophically, the study is rooted in the assumption that identity, meaning and workplace experience are relational and produced through interaction. Hence, Social Graces are not treated as a checklist or fixed set of categories, but as a practical tool for operationalising intersectionality. This is particularly important in social work, where identity is often discussed in theory but rarely explored in depth within research or supervision. Participants were able to consider how their multiple identities worked together, providing language and structure for exploring these, without reducing participants to single-identity narratives.
The arts-led method used in the study flowed directly from this intersectional focus.
Participants created “safety nets” using ribbons the author provided, with each ribbon colour linked to a particular Social Grace. Participants selected thin ribbons for Social Graces they associated with reduced privilege or marginalisation, and thicker ribbons for those that gave them a greater sense of influence, authority or organisational safety. The creation of these “nets” became a physical and visual way of engaging with intersectionality, offering a tangible representation the ‘messiness’ of identities.
The paper argues that using the Social Graces both as a reflective tool, translated into an arts- led method offers a powerful approach for understanding intersectional identity in the workplace. It encourages participants to move beyond single-identity explanations and consider how multiple identities interact to shape power, voice, performance expectations and relational safety. By placing identity and intersectionality at the centre of the research process, this approach supports a more equitable and justice-focused understanding of working life in Children’s Social Care.
Source: Manual