Scientists who communicate through art are often viewed with suspicion in academic circles: they face stigma and double standards that place them outside the norm. Is it possible to combine scientific visibility and artistic creativity without paying a professional price?

Key findings:

• Scientific impact initially slows participation in artistic communication, but this relationship is reversed above a certain threshold: those with greater impact can afford greater creative freedom.
• Maintaining a balance between scientific and artistic identity helps overcome these stigmas.
• Communicating science through art is not a threat to impact: it can reinforce it if supported institutionally.

How can science policies break down prejudices and encourage new ways of reaching society without penalizing academic excellence?

Joaquín M. Azagra-Caro & Vincenzo Pavone (2024). The effect of scientific impact on science communication through art from the lens of deviance theories. Journal of Science Communication, 23(6), A02.