Being creative with/for impact

Presenter: Adam Holden (Durham University Research Innovation Services (RIS))

Organised by Rachel Colls, Meghan Kelly, Leah Edwards and Danai Kontou

Lunch served from 12pm with event starting at 12:15pm

Adam will set out some thoughts and strategies around how researchers might work with others and with different methods or media to explore the relationship between research (as knowledge) and potential beneficiaries (as participant in, audience for and user of research). Specifically, he’ll consider the life cycle of research from an impact perspective – including designing research with stakeholders and pathways in mind, responding to emerging impact opportunities and planning for ‘after care’.

This introduction will be used to frame a wider discussion of our experiences, ideas and practice concerned with creative methods and media and impact. Guiding questions include, but are not restricted to:

•            How might we use creative methods and media to challenge and change how research travels and where it lands?

•            Where does the research question end and impact begin (and end)?

•            What are the limits and opportunities around being your own translator?

•            What are the sources of and resources for change that fit this research project?

•            What and who do you make impact objects or resources for?

In a spirit of ‘show and tell’, Adam will bring examples and evidence from a range of engagement activities and impact objects including: documentary film, art-as-visualisation, short explainer films, launch events, apps, graphic novels, exhibitions (as events/display) blogs, music/songs, policy briefings, submission to Government select committees, infographics, toolkits and possibly some more!

If you wish, please bring along examples of your own ‘impact objects’ to consider during the group discussion.

Adam Holden has over a decade of experience supporting research impact and thinking about how to generate interesting, effective and purposeful translations and transformations of research for social change.