Mechanisms of Innovation in Art–Science Collaboration: A Conceptual Framework for Responsible and Sustainable Development

Makesh (SRM Institute of Science and Technology)

Harmonia : Journal of Music and Arts
Vol. 4 No. 1 (2026): February 2026

Art–Science collaboration has emerged as a significant interdisciplinary approach for addressing complex societal challenges, yet the mechanisms through which these partnerships drive responsible and sustainable innovation remain conceptually fragmented. This study develops an integrated conceptual framework explaining how Art–Science collaboration contributes to responsible innovation and sustainable development through collaborative knowledge production, drawing on a systematic literature review (2020–2026) of publications on Art–Science collaboration, SciArt, Research-Creation, Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI), and sustainability-focused interdisciplinary research, analyzed through narrative synthesis, thematic analysis, and evidence mapping. Seven interconnected mechanisms consistently characterize successful collaboration: problem reframing, imagination of alternative futures, public engagement, ethical anticipation, knowledge translation, material and technological experimentation, and cultural contextualization. Together, these mechanisms foster novel research questions, interdisciplinary knowledge integration, inclusive stakeholder participation, and reflexive governance. Effectiveness is maximized when artists function as epistemic partners throughout the research process rather than science communicators. Key enablers include boundary objects, co-design, shared governance, and long-term institutional support, while tokenism, power asymmetries, methodological fragmentation, and weak evaluation frameworks constrain transformative outcomes. The proposed framework integrates collaboration structures, innovation mechanisms, RRI principles, and six sustainability dimensions — cultural, social, environmental, technological, economic, and institutional. The study concludes that Art–Science collaboration should be reconceptualized as an innovation ecosystem, with responsible and sustainable innovation emerging through iterative, epistemologically diverse, ethically reflective, and participatory collaboration. The framework provides a foundation for future empirical validation, comparative research, and policy development.