Drawing on studies from Canada, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia and Scotland Relate North 2014 explores contemporary practices in arts based research and knowledge exchange in the fields of arts and design. The essays and reports in this volume interpret the terms ‘arts’ and ‘design’ broadly to include, for example, crafts, indigenous making, media and product or service design. By directing attention to Northern and Arctic perspectives on contemporary arts and design, often linking those to issues of sustainability and context sensitive research, the authors provide thought-provoking accounts of current practice in these regions. Relate North 2014 brings together the work of leading scholars to explore issues in the field of contemporary arts, design and visual culture. Their writing helps advance our understanding of arts, design and visual culture education particularly among people living in Northern and Arctic areas. Relate North 2014 engages with the wider theoretical debates and will be of interest to a wide audience including, for example, anthropologists, geographers, sociologists, artists, designers and art educators, practice-based researchers and those with a general interest in Northern and Arctic issues.