亚博体育官网

Dr Dan Allen brings a wealth of experience in higher education, most recently as Head of the , where his teaching specialisms centre around Fine Art, Sculpture and Ceramics.

Dan is a passionate advocate of the arts and has a deep appreciation of the role an arts education offers to individuals, society, and the economy, and is an active member of (Council for Higher Education in Art & Design). He has held various roles in academia including External Expert for Art and Design at the and numerous External Examiner duties in the UK and Ireland. 

In addition to his substantive track-record in higher education, Dan is a practicing artist, educator, curator, writer, and critic. With a passion for ceramics, he is most recognised for his figurative ceramics which he exhibits internationally. 

As Founding Director of  in Cardiff, the largest co-operative of its kind in Europe, Dan has successfully run an artist co-operative, where he supported early-career ceramicists by offering specialist facilities, studio space, and professional advice.

He has also led a number of formal partnerships between academic institutions, business and industry. He is a steering group member of (West of England Visual Arts Alliance), and has represented the and at international conferences and symposiums. 

During his role as Director of Fireworks Clay Studios, Dan also successfully led a number of funding bids, receiving grants from the Arts Council, Millennium Lottery, Wales Arts International and the Crafts Council UK. He also established an international artist fellowship scheme in collaboration with a number of funding bodies and arts organisations.

Dan Allen said: 鈥淚 am absolutely delighted to be appointed as Dean for Gray鈥檚 School of Art.  As one of the most influential and oldest multidisciplinary Art Schools in Scotland, it is an incredible honour to be taking on this role from Libby Curtis.

鈥淚 am particularly passionate about the civic role art schools play in society and how they can be a civic force for good.  When applying for this position, I was particularly impressed by the outstanding contribution Gray鈥檚 makes to society, through initiatives such as Guest at Gray鈥檚, the mobile art school, and through its creative unit, Look Again. I look forward to working with the Gray鈥檚 community to build upon this success and to continue enhancing students鈥� awareness about the positive impact of art on society.鈥�

亚博体育官网鈥檚 Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Steve Olivier, has welcomed Dan Allen鈥檚 appointment as the new Dean for Gray鈥檚 School of Art.

He said: 鈥淲e are delighted to welcome Dan Allen as the new Dean for Gray鈥檚 School of Art. Dan brings a wealth of experience in higher education as demonstrated through his leadership as Head of Bath School of Art, Film and Media, and through his advocacy for arts education as a leading contributor of the Arts Council England and Crafts Council, and Founding Director of the Fireworks Clay Studios.

鈥淎s part of Gray鈥檚 curriculum, students are encouraged to explore contemporary art and design practice through the lens of their societal impact and to consider how they can help contribute towards society鈥檚 challenges such as sustainability, community and social cohesion and health and well-being. I have no doubt that under Dan鈥檚 leadership, he will continue to strengthen the school鈥檚 ethos, and by doing so, support our University鈥檚 commitment to positively enhance the economic, social and cultural development of those we serve.鈥�

Dan has a PhD in Art and Art Studies from the  and a Master of Arts in Ceramics and a BA in Ceramics from .

Dan will take over as the new Dean of Gray鈥檚 in December, as Libby Curtis steps down after a 31-year association with the school.