New appointments in the School of the Arts

Below is a brief career summary for each of the new appointments in order of start date.

John Mair has joined as Subject Leader for Journalism and Broadcast Journalism. John has joined us from Coventry University and has previously worked as a producer and director for the BBC, Channel Four and ITV with over two hundred broadcast credits to his name. John has edited/ published several books on contemporary issues in Journalism and is a frequent contributor to many national newspapers.

Dr Gordon Okafor- Ross is now Subject Leader for Music and Dance. Gordon has worked as a composer, producer, event manager and consultant in the UK and internationally. Gordon has been creative director of Matthew Street Fringe Festival for the past two years before which he worked widely in the industry including producing short films, the production of performances, festivals and events, and composing for the BBC and Channel 4.

Ged Maguire has been appointed Subject Leader for Media, Television and Film. Ged has previously taught TV Production Skills and TV Theory at the University of Bedford and has worked extensively as a producer/ director across factual entertainment, documentary, drama productions and independent film.

Dr Ralph Darbyshire is now Subject Leader for Fine Art. Ralph has joined from Liverpool John Moores University where he was responsible for the franchised Fine Art provision as Curriculum and Programme Leader, teaching a range of studio disciplines as well as contextual studies and theory for Fine Art practice. He also has a continuing practice as a freelance writer of features, and reviews exhibitions in Europe, for New York Arts Magazine and as an artist he will take part in the Liverpool Biennial this year.

Dr Richard Canning has joined the School of The Arts as Subject Leader for English and Creative Writing. Richard has taught at Oxford, Warwick and Sheffield Universities, both in British and American Literature at BA, MA and PhD levels. Richard has published numerous books, reviewed film scripts, written and advised on television documentary proposals and has published over 150 essays, articles, obituaries and reviews, for the national and international press.