Action research can be a suitable approach for artists who want to contribute to systemic change. Although action research to some extent has been explored as an artistic approach internationally, there has been no case study of this in a Norwegian context. Through a participatory action research approach public art was created for a church, a school and a hospital. The site-specific art was incorporated into the unique practices at each place. The discussion concerns ontological and epistemological issues emerging from such art practice and how action research can enable artists to work as co-creators of society in a new way.