The University of Glasgow led project is entitled Walking Publics/Walking Arts: walking, wellbeing and community during Covid-19.
And the project team are asking artists and people everywhere to take part in a survey.
They want to hear about things like painted stone trails; Fairy Trails; decorated windows; and activities intended to keep both minds and feet engaged and curious.
Professor Deirdre Heddon, University of Glasgow, is leading the project in collaboration with academics from University College Cork, University of Liverpool and the University of East London.
She said: “Existing surveys tell us that more people have been walking more during Covid-19, but we don’t yet know enough about their actual experiences of walking: who is walking, where are they walking, why are they walking, even how they are walking and how they feel about walking?
“A year is a long time to be walking the same paths around the local park so we are also keen to know if creative activities that can be done while walking, or walks that are themselves creative, have helped sustain people’s motivation, increased their enjoyment in walking, or offered ways for people who are physically distanced to connect creatively and imaginatively.”
Dr Morag Rose, University of Liverpool, added: “Our research wants to know more about all the ways in which creativity has been connected to walking.”
The researchers also want to connect with artists who use walking as part of their artistic practice and to work with them to create a free walking toolkit, which they hope will sustain or inspire more walking by more people.
To take part, go to https://walkcreate.gla.ac.uk/index.php/walking-publics/ by May 21.
