Staging Craft: Doing Art-based Research on Stereotypes and Authenticity in Venice

Craft is widely associated with authenticity in tourism, symbolising tradition, local knowledge, and identity. Yet, in highly touristified contexts such as Venice, this association is mediated by stereotypes and staged performances that reproduce dominant imaginaries while marginalising alternative voices. This article explores how art-based research (ABR) can contribute to understanding the entan- glement between stereotypes and authenticity in craft and tourism. Building on a collaboration between researchers and the Venetian theatre collective H2O non potabile, we co-created the satirical perfor- mance Intelligenza Artigianale – Frullatorio Show, which engaged ar- tisans, researchers, and audiences in a reflexive exploration of craft as both labour and performance. Through this process, we identify three ways through which art-based research contributes to under- standing the relationship between stereotypes and authenticity in relation to craft in tourism settings: (1) unveiling day-to-day practic- es of craft beyond stereotypes; (2) decontextualising dominant nar- ratives by reframing them through performance; and (3) bringing forward unexpected voices and themes, such as questions of belong- ing and residential identity in Venice. The study highlights ABR as a situated and collaborative method that surfaces marginal stories, challenges reductive imaginaries, and generates politically engaged forms of knowledge in tourism and management research.