With the shift towards evidence-based policy-making, approaches such as ‘realist’ policy evaluation have been proposed to enable practitioners and decision-makers to gain a deeper understanding of complex social interventions. Research needs to inform policy through ideas rather than data (Pawson et al, 2005). Rainbow Bridge is a research collaboration between the authors, a design researcher and a policy expert, to explore in what ways policy is finding meaning and expression through the practice at the Creative Campus (CC), developed by The Glasgow School of Art with support from the Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The aim is to map connections of current practice and its intent with policy, and explore ways in which evolving practice can contribute to shaping policy in the future.

Policy is generally expressed in words. In creative practices ‘visible thinking’ forms an integral part of the transformational process of learning. Through iteration and dialogue with oneself and others, drawing and writing can help to transform thought, rather than represent it (McAra-McWilliam, 2007). Rainbow bridge uses a combination of text-based explorations of policy along with drawing and making to understand the practice and articulate ‘theories of change’ (Shucksmith, 2016). According to Moffett (2011), drawing is ‘a form of moving’ and, when we attempt to think through drawing we attend to what we’re doing. Through the process of drawing and making of artefacts the goal is to make connections between policy and practice visible and tactile, while creating and sharing knowledge that is transformative. The research is in the exploratory stage and through presenting our work we hope to invite discussion on the effectiveness of this approach for showing connections, explaining effects and organising action to meaningfully connect the two distinct worlds of policy and creative practices.