The research project Poverty and Performance emerged from a central question: how can performative practices — whether in theater, education, or cultural initiatives — spark critical reflection on poverty without reducing it to a mere theme, stereotype, or object of representation? Throughout the project, the methodology intertwined artistic creation, theoretical inquiry, and pedagogical experimentation, structured across complementary phases and grounded in rigorous collective work.

The first phase focused on conceptual and bibliographic mapping. The team conducted a comprehensive literature review, bringing together academic research, artistic works, historical documents, and theoretical frameworks on poverty, social exclusion, public policy, and performance studies. This work was organized into thematic dossiers, which systematized the collected materials and provided a shared foundation for the group. Each dossier functioned as a collaborative study hub, enabling researchers from diverse backgrounds to engage in dialogue based on collectively curated and debated references.

The second phase involved fieldwork, with performance understood not merely as an object of analysis but as a method of inquiry. The researchers conducted workshops, labs, artist residencies, open rehearsals, and public interventions. These experiences were documented through reports, field journals, audiovisual recordings, and reflective protocols, which later informed new dossiers. The methodology followed a circular logic: theory shapes practice, and practice reshapes theory.

The third phase emphasized critical analysis and the systematization of results. Materials — texts, process documentation, and internal debates — were organized into analytical dossiers aimed at identifying patterns, tensions, and conceptual shifts. At this stage, the research turned toward academic writing, producing articles, book chapters, and reports, while also engaging in broader dissemination efforts to make the findings publicly accessible.

Central to the methodology was the commitment to collective work. The project did not rely on rigid hierarchies but on coordinated collaboration among researchers at different stages of training. Methodological decisions, the development of dossiers, and planning of practical activities were deliberated in regular meetings. While deeply productive, this collaborative approach also posed challenges: differing paces, expectations, theoretical frameworks, and availability required constant negotiation. Addressing poverty as a field of study demanded continuous ethical care, ensuring that social experiences were neither aestheticized nor instrumentalized.

The project’s interdisciplinary nature presented another challenge. Bridging performing arts, education, and social research required the development of a shared language capable of translating concepts across domains. This task demanded time, attentive listening, and a willingness to revisit assumptions.

In sum, the methodology of Poverty and Performance combined systematic reference mapping, thematic dossier organization, performative experimentation, and collective critical analysis. It was a process of ongoing revision, in which researching meant creating, sharing, and problematizing — building knowledge collectively and in direct engagement with the social realities under study.