Âé¶¹´«Ã½ awards three Honorary Research Fellowships
Âé¶¹´«Ã½ is delighted to announce three newly appointed Fellows.
The three appointments are key figures in the Âé¶¹´«Ã½â€™s thriving cultural scene:
- Dave Moutrey: Director of Culture and Creative Industries for Âé¶¹´«Ã½ City Council;
- Julie McCarthy: Strategic Lead for Creative Health, NHS Greater Âé¶¹´«Ã½ Integrated Care / Greater Âé¶¹´«Ã½ Combined Authority;
- Sameed Rezayan: Head of Learning, Factory International.
The appointments have been awarded an Honorary Research Fellowship in the Drama department at Âé¶¹´«Ã½. The Fellowships recognise the outstanding contribution and ongoing work that Dave, Julie and Sameed make to the vibrant creative and cultural industries sector in Greater Âé¶¹´«Ã½.
The research projects they will embark upon align with the research themes within the University’s ; Creative Industries and Innovation, Creativity, Health and Wellbeing, and Creative and Civic Futures.
We are excited by the opportunity to work more closely with all three Fellows. They each bring a huge amount of passion, knowledge and expertise in the city-region's globally important cultural and creative industries. We look forward to engaging more closely with them and to the contributions they will make to our research, teaching and civic agenda.
I am delighted to have been awarded an honorary research fellowship from a university I consider truly committed to the idea of civic good. As lead for Creative Health at Greater Âé¶¹´«Ã½ NHS, I plan to use this opportunity to generate more debate and evidence about the power of culture and creativity to support people’s health and wellbeing.
My 25 year career in this field began with an MA in Applied Theatre at the University of Âé¶¹´«Ã½, and my commitment to the power of the arts for social change is even stronger than it was then. I hope this honorary fellowship will enable me to develop research ideas with colleagues at the university and with local communities, and to continue to find new and innovative ways to support those people experiencing some of the worst health inequities.
My appointment as an Honorary Research Fellow will add an extra dimension to my research into the impact of arts centres in the UK and Ireland since the 1920’s.  To be able to access the academic resources of the university and to be part of a community with similar research interests is very exciting and a huge privilege.  I can't wait to get started.
This Fellowship is deeply meaningful to me, both professionally and personally. Over a decade ago, I started a PhD at Âé¶¹´«Ã½ but couldn’t continue due to cuts in arts funding, so to now have the opportunity to pursue this research with the University’s support feels incredibly full circle. It will allow me to explore how art can create real change in society, systems, and individuals—an area I’ve been passionate about throughout my career.
Having dedicated much of my life to supporting underrepresented young people in Âé¶¹´«Ã½, this moment feels like a chance to build on those efforts and create lasting impact.