Abstract This article examines how arts-based, rights-oriented social work can foster voice, dignity, and inclusion with migrants in Spain. Drawing on decolonial theory and an a/r/tographic approach, we designed a collaborative program in reception settings with 57 adult migrants. Visual and performative artifacts—self-portraits, cultural “subway-map” cartographies, photo-narratives, a red-threads performance, and a floor installation—were treated as primary data. A constructivist grounded-theory strategy guided analysis using a formal–symbolic–contextual matrix (composition/color/materiality; metaphors and chronotopes; production/audience). Findings show measurable learning in visual literacy and creative–expressive and social competences, alongside increased agency in public spaces. Participants co-curated what to share, reframing dominant narratives of mobility through collective meaning-making and community pedagogy. The study details a practical rights-based toolkit for social work: layered, accessible consent; anonymity and takedown options for images/QR content; safety briefings for public actions; member checking across stages; and co-curation to prevent aesthetic paternalism. We argue that arts-based practice, read through a decolonial lens, moves beyond using art as a mere method and functions as education within the arts that advances human rights in research, practice, and social work education. Implications are offered for curriculum, frontline practice, and community advocacy.
Poza-Garcia et al. (2026) studied this question.