Promoting inclusion in science communication through the infusion of art

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for urgency, accuracy and specificity in the way science is communicated to different audiences. However, it also accentuated gaps in current approaches to making science suitable for public consumption. Inclusive science communication attempts to fill these gaps by promoting equity, breaking down barriers and leaving no one behind in the dissemination of scientific knowledge. The barriers to science communication addressed through inclusivity are numerous and diverse, spanning language and culture, educational status, poverty, age, access to technology and disability status. Since traditional science communication methods have failed to adequately address most of these barriers, this article proposes the infusion of art into these methods as key to making science communication more inclusive. It discusses the range of art forms, including drama, music, dance, painting and new media, that may be leveraged for more inclusive science communication and, alongside, addresses the challenges and opportunities to maximizing their potential.