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In the last few decades, artistically inspired methods for data-collection, analysis and dissemination have become more popular in the qualitative research community. Researchers from the social research methodology group of the Centre for Sociological Research are currently exploring whether such methods reveal different layers of meaning compared to more traditional ways of collecting and analysing study data, such as interviews and observations. The arts-based methods base is also very promising to appreciate experiences from cultural and linguistically diverse or semi-literate residents, or to involve and engage vulnerable or traumatized populations that do not necessarily have the means to express themselves verbally. In addition, it offers researchers an alternative pathway to communicating research findings by expressing their findings artistically, through exhibitions, performances, poetry or photo novella’s. In October 2015, we launched the co-creation project ‘Magnificent Rubbish’, in which we explored the potential of multi-sensory forms of data collection as an alternative to interviews and observations to study the relationship between people and their environment. We worked closely with the artistic organization Vizoog vzw and Arktos vzw. The project took place in the Vaartkom region in Leuven, an environment that has fundamentally changes sight in recent years and is still in full development. In this context, we invited youngsters from Arktos to literally ‘turn on their senses’ and reflect on how they experience the neighbourhood, connect to it and give expression to its multiple dimensions in order to create an interesting archaeology of the ‘here and now’ in relation to its previous history. We collected visuals, sounds and materials from the neighbourhood, with the help of people currently living there. The exhibition that grew out of this project and is featured at this event has been created in a joined effort between researchers, educators, youngsters and designers, drawing on the principle of co-creation as a decentralized method of research in today’s multitude.