I am a Nottingham-based artist research and Associate Professor (Civic) for University of Derby where I lead the Civic Lab Research Group. I am chair of Cumulus: International Contemporary Working Art Group, Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees for New Art Exchange and Chair of their Programming and Projects Committee. I am a DerbyCAN steering group member, Stakeholder for Bolton Arts CIC. I am a UK lead partner for Design for Emergancy project with DESIS.
In 2012, I co-founded InDialogue, a collaborative interntional research project that interrogates how artists and researchers use dialogue in their practice. InDialogue has curated four International Conferences, hosted three International residencies and supported over 600 artists since 2012 – 2020 from over 15 countries.
I am the founding director and CEO / Creative Director of Designing Dialogue (S.H.E.D) a Community Interest Company that currently runs S.H.E.D. A mobile flat-pack, popup arts venue and public space dedicated to artistic research through public engagement. To date, it has delivered a wide range of projects in different cities in the UK engaging over 4000 people and was recently shortlisted for Shed of the year 2020 and was a finalist in the UK Green Gown Awards for ‘benefiting community’. It is also the first-ever Spinout company for the University of Derby. Most recently, installed at V&A Dundee for Design for Planet, Design Council Summit for COP26.
I have a long-standing international collaborative practice with Dr Traci Kelly (Ger/UK). Together, their research engages with digital, sculptural and performative documentation to provide a forensic exploration into writing as an ecology.
I have an MA in Performance & Live Art from Nottingham Trent University and received a Ph.D. from Nottingham Trent University in 2016: ‘The Artistry of Conversation’. I am a member of the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement and DESIS, UK researcher for Design for Emergency (2020). I am a member of Co-Creating Change Midlands Network: Arts & Culture. Guest Speaker for Design for Planet (2021) PolicyConnect an All Party Parliamentary Group (2021-22), and a delivery partner of CHEAD for their Annual Conference (2021).
I have a PhD by practice from Nottingham Trent University (2016). In which the thesis The Artistry of Conversation looked at the performative and tactile nature of Conversation.
My research continues to focus on the artistic design of dialogue.
To do this, it explores the use of artistic practice as a methodology to create opportunities for discourse with the public on urgent social, political and economic matters.
I employ innovative research processes, in order to create civic dialogues through creative place-making. This in turn supports the development of new models for increasing social mobility, through widening access to arts, culture and education. To this end, the research acts as an instigator for positive change, addressing the impact of socially/ civic engaged discourse.
To do this, I work closely with the cultural, sporting, creative sectors and the public. I have international partnerships, with Cumulus and DESIS and work with colleagues from across H.E Sector. By doing this, it generates spaces for conversation between H.E and Creative Cultural Organisations. The research process is always collaborative and typically the work makes manifest in the form of exhibitions, published texts, and symposia operating both nationally and internationally.
Membership of professional bodies
Lead, CivicLAB Reserach Group, University. of Derby (2020 - ).
Chair,Cumulus International Contermporary Art Working Group (2019 - ).
Chair, Programing and projects New Art Exchange (2021 - )
Vice Chair, Board of Trustees, New Art Exchange (2021 - ).
CoCreator of Change Maker, Creative Academies, UK
The Midlands Higher Education and Culture Forum on Collaborative Research, Nottingham Contemporary (2018 - )
Resident Artist at Primary, Nottingham.(2012 - ).
Trustee, New Art Exchange (2019 - ).
Derby Theatre Research Group Member (2018 - ).
Steering Group member for DerbyCAN producing hub (2019- ).
Until Recently
U21C invited working group member, Nottingham Trent University (2014 – 2016).
Steering group member S-CEP (2017 - 18)
Synapse Arts steering group (2012-2014)
Sheffield Culture Education Partnership Steering Group
Qualifications
BA Hons Theatre (First Class Honors) – De Montfort University, Leicester
MA Live Art and Performance (Distinction) – Nottingham Trent University
PhD Nottingham Trent University
Recent conferences
Recent exhibitions and shows
2022
S.H.E.D Derby City of Culture Consultation Installation, January 2022
Kelly+Jones Exchange2 R&D Project, Selected Artists, Feburary - December 2022
Kelly+Jones Film Exhibition Bodycheck, Gallerie Gedok, Stuttgart Germany, January 2022
S.H.E.D Installation National Justice Museum, February 2022
S.H.E.D Kenya International codesign project, Cape Peninsula Technological University, African Adventures and Derby County Community Trust. Jan 2022 – May 2023
S.H.E.D Derby Opportunity Area Conference, Installation and host of stakeholder Civic roundtable, Pride Park, 5th May 2022
S.H.E.D Timber Festival (tbc) July 2022
S.H.E.D A Seventh Man bespoke design for Theatreszene Europa, Studiobuhnekoln, Cologne, September 2022
2021
FormatFestival2021, Exhibiting Artist March - April 2021
Practice without Walls, Exhibition Curator, City of Rome, June 2020
S.H.E.D Presents – Derby County Community Trust Project
S.H.E.D National Justice Museum, August 2020
S.H.E.D – various events, workshops and festivals 2020-21
2019
S.H.E.D Youth Participation Project, Derby Theatre – touring works throughout sept - Dec
Expanded Studio Project, Selected Artist, Belfast City, Exhibiting Artist PSsquared, August 4th - September 2nd 2019
New Voices Conference, Derby Theatre, InDialogue Paper, Speaker, January 2019
Chair of International Contemporary Art, Speaker, resilience and intelligence, University of Lapland, Finland, May 2019
Format Festival - Exhibitor, University of Derby Staff Artist and Format Conference Chair, March 2019
Arts in Society International Conference, This is Derby Paper, Lisbon university, Porto, 19 -21 June, 2019
Departure Lounge Festival, Artist, commission of S.H.E.D and producing artists for S.H.E.D, 18 -21 July 2019
This Is Derby, Celebration Day, Commissioned Artist, 13th July, 2019.
InDialogue symposium, lead creative and curator, 19 - 21 November 2019. (3 cities in 3 days symposium, (in partnership with Derby City Council, Deda, Derby Theatre, Nottingham Contemporary, Mansions of the Future, Derby City Council, University of Lincoln, University of Derby).
InDialogue International Artist Residency, Curator, in partnership with Dance4 and In Good Company. October - November, 2019
2018
Horizon, Curator, Surface Gallery, Nottingham, UK
Inherited Cities, General Manager Third Angel, The Crucible, Sheffield Theatres, UK
Design without walls,Cumulus, Guest Speaker, Ecole Boulle, Paris
Parenthesis (working title) (2014 – Present) Collaboration with artist Traci Kelly under the name of Kelly&Jones
2017
I predict a riot Invited author for exhibition publication for Jimmy Cauty’s ADP Riot Tour, New Art Exchange
Extract from The Beginning (2012) by Michael Pinchbeck. Devised and performed with Nicki Hobday and Ollie Smith. Delivered at You, The Audience (2017), Royal Exchange, Manchester by Michael Pinchbeck and Rhiannon Jones.
2016
Dance4 season launch, guest facilitator in conversation with dancer and choreographer Roberta Jean, Dance4, hosted by Dance4 and Backlit, Nottingham
InDialogue, founder and Co-curator, Nottingham Contemporary, Dance4, New Art Exchange, Nottingham City Council, Birmingham City University, Nottingham Trent University, UK
InDialogue, Rhiannon Jones In Conversation with Grant Kester, Nottingham Contemporary.
InDialogue, Dr Elena Cologni and Rhiannon Jones (paper presentation), Nottingham Contemporary.
On the Horizon, curator of artist residency for Chloé Déchery (Fr) and Jane McKernan (AUS) in collaboration with Dance4 and InDialogue
The Man Who Flew Into Space From His Apartment Exhibition, assistant curator, The Collection Lincoln, supported by hÅb Arts (Manchester) and Lincoln Performing Arts Centre. Developed at First Bite, Forest Fringe and Hatch. Supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.
2015
Parenthesis (working title) explorations and collaboration with artist Traci Kelly, Chalk Pit, Cambridge
The Man Who Flew Into Space From His Apartment, assistant Director, supported by hÅb Arts (Manchester) and Lincoln Performing Arts Centre. Developed at First Bite, Forest Fringe and Hatch. Supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.
Wonderland Story Poles Permanent Public Art Commission, Queens Walk, Nottingham
2014
InDialogue, founder and Co-curator, Nottingham Contemporary, Dance4, Primary, Backlit, Loughborough University, Nottingham Trent University, UK
InDialogue, Rhiannon Jones In Conversation with Grant Kester, Nottingham Contemporary.
InDialogue, Panel facilitator Professor John Newling (Uk), WockhenKlausur (Austria), The Harrisons (USA) (paper), Nottingham Contemporary.
InDialogue Residency, curator of artist residency for Rajni Shah and Karen Christopher, in collaboration with Backlit and InDialogue
Wonderland,creative director Various BEVOCAL events, in partnership with New Art Exchange supported by Nottingham City Council.
Wonderland Meadows Older Persons Exhibition, creative, Bromley House, Nottingham, supported by Nottingham City Council.
The Drawing Board, artist residency (2014) Kelly & Jones, Primary, Nottingham.
The Drawing Board, exhibition, Kelly & Jones, Primary, Nottingham.
The Drawing Board in conversation with Kelly & Jones facilitated by Dr Michael Pinchbeck, Primary, Nottingham.
2013
Light Night, commissioned artist, supported by Nottingham City Council, Nottingham
Freedom in Air, resident artist commissioned by The Cutting Room & Nottingham Playhouse to deliver a community engagement project for national touring production of The Kite Runner.
Research and the Researcher postgraduate research conference, curatorial team, Nottingham Trent University
Mediated Riots, artist,commissioned by Synapse Arts & New Art Exchange.
The Art of Conversation, artist, touring solo exhibitionBacklit, UK & Georgia, Athens USA
2012
Wonderland 1, creative director, project in partnership with New Art Exchange supported by Nottingham City Council.
InDialogue, founder and Co-curator, Nottingham Contemporary, Primary, Vessel, Loughborough University, Nottingham Trent University, UK
Dialogical Self,International Conference, paper presentation, Georgia USA
The Art of Conversation: Uncovering Artistic Inspiration. In: Defining Contributions: Inspiration Driving Original Research, Paper and publication. Nottingham Trent University
2011
AHRC funded Research Project, New Research Trajectories, Loughbourgh University, Nottingham Trent University
Radical Aesthetics, paper presentation, Loughborough University
Causality and Performativity of Scars , paper and publication, Nottingham Trent University.
Discourse / Conversation / Communication, International conference, Paper presentation, Loughborough University, UK
Experience in industry
I am the founder and CEO of Designing Dialogues CIC, which runs S.H.E.D, the first spin out company from University of Derby.
I am the co-founder and director of InDialogue, established in 2012.
I have been Marketing Director for Backlit Gallery, Nottingham.An Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation.
I was the General Manger of Third Angel Theatre Company, International touring Company and Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation.
I have produced, curated and toured works Nationally and Internationally, most recently in Gent, Belgium, Athens, Georgia, Sweden, Denmark, France, Italy and USA. I have regular conversations with arts industry and professionals and is active within the arts industry. I produce International residencies for artists as part of InDialogue in partnership with Dance4 in 2014 and 2016 and InGoodCompany for 2019. I am co-founder of InDialogue Symposiums, for industry and artists and researcher to come together biannually to discuss dialogic modes of artistic practice and research.
I have made work that has exhibited at venues such as Nottingham Contemporary, New Art Exchange, Sheffield Theatres, Backlit Gallery, Bromley House, Nottingham City Council, Derby Theatre, Lincoln Performing Arts Centre, National Justice Museum, New Perspectives, Little Theatre Leicester, Surface Gallery. I have successfully fundraised for major arts projects from ACE and Trusts and Foundations.
International experience
I am the research lead for DESIS Design for Emergency Research Project with 11 other global partners.
I am Chair of the Contemporary working Art Group for Cumulus Association, the international network for Art and Design Education.
I continue to partner with organisations such as University of Ohio, Chicago Institute Performing Arts, Bergen Academy, National Library of Norway, ELIA, European Cultural Academy.
In the media
Various regional and national print, radio and television interviews, examples including:
Artistic Research and Professional Practice in the City (2015) Cumulus, Milan, Italy
Engaging Arts through Empowering Acts (2014) workshop facilitator at University Averio, Portugal
Acting Locally Thinking Globally (2013). Co-authored with Carol Jones, Cumulus, Kalmar, Sweden.
The Dialogical Self (2012). The Art of Conversation, University Georgia, USA.
Causality and Performativity of Scars (2011) Nottingham Trent University.
The Art of Conversation: Uncovering Artistic Inspiration. In: Defining Contributions: Inspiration Driving Original Research, (2012). Nottingham Trent University, pp. 59-65. (Online: http://definingcontributions.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/rpc_defining- _contributions_publication.pdf)
InDialogue: An International Symposium for Artists and Researchers. Co-founder and curator and editor of archive. Supported by Nottingham Contemporary & New Art Exchange, Nottingham Trent University, Loughborough University, Birmingham City University and in partnership with Dance4 and Nottingham City Council (2012-2016)
Loughborough University, Social Sciences International Conference Discourse, Communication, Conversation, Paper Publication and Conference Speaker (2012)
Nottingham Trent Conference Defining Contributions, paper publication and speaker (2012).
JONES, R., 2012. The Art of Conversation In: Defining Contributions: Inspiration Driving Original Research, 18 May 2012. Nottingham Trent University, pp. 25-30
SLADE, R., 2012. The Art of Conversation: Uncovering Artistic Inspiration. In: Defining Contributions: Inspiration Driving Original Research, 18 May 2012. Nottingham Trent University, pp. 59-65. (http://definingcontributions.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/rpc_defining-_contributions_publication.pdf)
Dr Rhiannon Jones, Researcher at the University of Derby, will speak at the Design for Planet event, which will champion design as a powerful agent of change. Here, she explains more.
