About

I am a Senior Lecturer in Creative Industries Entrepreneurship at the University of Derby, working across undergraduate and postgraduate provision to support the development of sustainable, innovative and socially engaged creative practice. My work focuses on enterprise, professional practice and the realities of building resilient careers and organisations within the contemporary creative economy.

I bring extensive experience as both an academic and creative practitioner. Having previously led and developed programmes within the performing arts, I have significant experience of curriculum design, quality enhancement and programme leadership. My teaching is research-informed and industry-connected, supporting students to develop entrepreneurial thinking, professional confidence and the strategic skills needed to sustain creative careers.

Alongside teaching, I work closely with external partners and regional organisations to strengthen connections between the University and the creative sector, supporting knowledge exchange, graduate enterprise and opportunities for collaboration.

Teaching responsibilities

I teach across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, supervise student research projects, and act as a personal tutor. My approach prioritises inclusive, student-centred learning and the integration of research, professional practice and enterprise. I am committed to enabling students to develop confidence, criticality and the entrepreneurial capability needed to shape their own futures within the creative industries.

Professional interests

As a dedicated advocate for the arts, I am passionate about promoting dance and creative expression on both a local and national level. I sit on the board for Arts Derbyshire and am a steering group member for the East Midlands Dance Artists Network, both of which allow me to contribute to the growth and development of the arts in my region. As a proud NATD alumnus, I am committed to advancing dance opportunities across the entire country, ensuring that people from all backgrounds have access to the transformative power of the arts.

Research interests

My research is rooted in dance and embodied creative practice, exploring how creative work engages audiences, addresses social issues and supports sustainable creative careers. My research and creative practice have been presented nationally and internationally, and my work has been recognised with the One Dance UK Dance Research Award.

I am the author of Entertainment in the Performing Arts (Routledge, 2022) and Parenthood and Performance (Routledge, 2026), which examine labour, care and sustainability within creative work. My research explores the lived realities of creative practitioners, including artist-parents, and considers how issues of care, wellbeing and access shape participation, productivity and career longevity.

Alongside this, I am Artistic Director of Adaire to Dance, an Arts Council–supported company creating accessible contemporary performance that engages with complex and often under-represented experiences, including Long Covid, baby loss and parental wellbeing. This practice-based research informs a wider investigation into creative labour, audience engagement, social impact and sustainable creative ecologies.

More broadly, my work sits at the intersection of creative practice, entrepreneurship and the conditions that enable creative work to thrive. I am developing research outputs and collaborations that contribute to a research-led curriculum and to national conversations around the future of creative careers and the creative industries.

To see more about my research outputs visit my UDORA and ORCID pages.

Experience in industry

Alongside my academic role, I maintain an active professional practice within the creative industries. I am Artistic Director of Adaire to Dance, an Arts Council–supported contemporary dance company based in the East Midlands. Through this work I lead on strategic development, fundraising, commissioning, touring, partnership building and financial management, providing direct experience of sustaining a small creative organisation within a complex funding and policy landscape.

My industry experience includes securing public funding, managing project budgets, overseeing marketing and audience development strategies, and collaborating with venues, festivals, digital creatives and community partners. This practical leadership informs my teaching in creative enterprise, enabling me to support students in understanding the realities of freelance and portfolio careers, intellectual property, funding applications, scaling activity and sustainable business modelling.

I also contribute to the wider creative ecology through board and network roles with Arts Derbyshire, Hubbub Theatre and as co-director of the East Midlands Dance Artists Network CIC. These positions involve governance, strategic planning and advocacy for independent practitioners, strengthening regional infrastructure and supporting professional development across the sector.

My combined academic and industry experience enables me to bridge research, enterprise and professional practice, ensuring that students engage with current industry contexts while developing the entrepreneurial skills and critical insight required to build sustainable creative careers.

Additional interests and activities

In my free time, I enjoy baking bread and taking long walks in the countryside with my family, which provides a perfect balance to my professional life. I also love curling up by the fire with a good book, and when I have the chance, I'm not opposed to indulging in a binge-watch of a great box set. 

Recent publications

Recent publications can be found on our UDORA site