The central focus of this article is Open Circle, a play written by Esther Uria-Iriarte that follows Arts Based Research (ABR) methods in theatrically interpreting the results of a doctoral research study carried out in four secondary schools in The Basque Country of Spain. The research aims to analyze the implications of theater as a methodological strategy for the improvement of coexistence in secondary students of The Basque Country. Open Circle is accompanied by the relevant theoretical foundations that support the ABR methodology and the aesthetic strategies applied to writing the play. In an intercalated way, we present various fragments of the theatrical work that reflect the researcher’s feelings during the research process, including her difficulties and vulnerability in working with adolescent participants, as well as her frustrations in facing the contradictions in her research results.

This article seeks to explore the potential implications of using the Forum Theatre technique in secondary school settings. To do so, we describe the intervention programme undertaken in four secondary schools in the Basque Country (Spain) in which the Forum Theatre technique was one of the core methodological strategies. Based on this experience, we can draw conclusions related to the relevance of this technique in generating a democratic space of citizenship where youths can debate and explore alternatives when addressing issues of interest to them from their immediate reality.

In this paper, university extension is understood from a relational point of view, as an ecosystem of interactions between academic and social agents, inside and outside campus. Based on a recent actionresearch at the University of the Basque Country, the paper suggests specific measures such as making time to celebrate university cultures; opening up spaces for creativity and change; and granting autonomy to those culture makers already present in campus. This recommendation is illustrated by describing the creation of a scenic and performative arts society in the Gipuzkoa campus.

This article is a story told to a young boy by his grandmother. Once upon a time, there existed a place where listening to stories was a way of life. This happened in all places around the world: Lakota and Navajo tribes of North America; Yoruba and Guji-Oromo in Africa; Estonian or Basque Country in Europe… But suddenly, the titan Mr. Neoliberalism displaced the elders: casting its shadow and silencing places. Economic production became all-consuming and human beings used almost all their energies pursuing it. And then, hope emerged as intergenerational performance. Some communities participating in this type of performance-Reminiscence Theatre and Verbatim Theatre, for example-recovered the collective power of storytelling to educate both the young and old about values, culture, identities and history … Storytelling invites ways to know who we are, where we come from, and where we belong: storytelling as hope, storytelling as a dream, storytelling as a magic space where imagining other realities is possible.

This research analyses the impact of an applied theatre programme (Our Views) on fostering coexistence in four secondary schools in the Basque Country (Spain). Qualitative study reflected a positive impact on participants' socioemotional skills. Improved relationships are among the positive effects detected in group participants' lives. The project has opened a space for reflection on coexistence among adolescents and for raising students' awareness concerning issues that they sometimes face. It has facilitated some changes in students' behaviours in their immediate contexts. This research provides evidence of Our Views programme's effectiveness in promoting positive coexistence among secondary school students.