CREATIVE PIECE: From coMforT to Hard Evidence: a collaborative approach to using creative mediums in developing and disseminating research

The research    

Nationally, it is estimated that 2.3 million adults aged 16 to 74 years experienced domestic abuse in the year ending March 2020.  The coMforT study was funded by NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, developed and piloted tested a trauma-specific mindfulness course for women with experience of domestic abuse and post-traumatic stress.   

A Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) group of women with lived experience of domestic abuse was embedded into the work of the coMforT study and was crucial in the way that coMforT was shaped throughout its development.  Unique to the coMforT PPI group was the way in which the contributor’s roles developed enabling and supporting them to engage in different roles, activities and outputs but within a context that was profoundly sensitive and emotive to each of them.    

At the completion of coMorT, two members of the study PPI group supported by the BRC PPI coordinator, and Associate director of the community theatre ACTA wrote a play ‘Hard Evidence’.  The play was based on the experiences of the coMforT PPI group. It was developed over zoom by two of PPI members in collaboration with ACTA community theatre.  The purpose of this work was to develop an innovative way of disseminating the message that the most sensitive of experiences can be used in the most productive of ways (in the context of PPI).  A new theatre production was then performed over two nights at the ACTA theatre, Bristol, by the same two public contributors who wrote the piece.   

The creative review  Our creative review will give an overview of the way in which we developed a collaborative, creative medium to disseminate and develop research outputs related to the coMforT study.  Our objective was to reach diverse audiences outside of academic contexts and give back to the community groups that were a part of the research itself.     

Our review will include an edited version of the film of Hard Evidence and be presented by the PPI lead and Associate director of ACTA.   A preview of the film with behind the scenes recording can be seen here.