The 1st International Conference on Arts-Based Educational Research: Art and Democracy was born in this context of urgency and opportunity, with the aim of consolidating ABER as a benchmark methodological field in the educational and social spheres. In particular, this conference aims to encourage its development in the Spanish context, where, despite advances in critical pedagogies and transformative artistic practices, there is still limited integration of arts-based research as a widely recognized and applied methodology. The main objective is to explore how arts-based educational research can generate and evaluate new forms of social engagement and community activism on European democracy, addressing complex issues such as inequality, human rights, and sustainability from critical and inclusive perspectives. Presenting the latest contributions from the scientific community through examples of successful initiatives where the integration of art into educational projects has generated significant changes in improving school coexistence, empowering marginalized communities, raising awareness of social problems, and breaking down prejudices toward vulnerable groups. Idiosyncratic initiatives and projects using this ABER methodology are expected to be presented, as well as the evaluation of participatory methodologies and collaborative projects capable of promoting democratic values.