By Una Kelly
Trinity has appointed a number of world renowned writers, actors, directors, composers and creative technologists among others to lead its dynamic new initiative in the Creative Arts, Technologies and Culture.
Among the appointments are composer Bill Whelan, most famous for Riverdance; award winning playwright Michael West; famous author of the Discworld series Terry Pratchett and Disney Research Director, Jessica Hodgkins. They will be giving masterclasses to Trinity students and undertaking collaborative research as part of their adjunct professorships and lectureships over the next three years.
The new appointments are part of an initiative launched by Trinity last year which aims to develop a creative arts, technology and culture network in Dublin catalysed by Trinity College. The concept is to build upon the College’s academics in the arts and sciences, linking them together with the creative practitioner and the wider creative industry while promoting exchange of ideas across a variety of disciplines.
Six ‘flagship areas’ have been identified: creative writing; dramatic arts; music composition; creative technologies; visual arts and cultural heritage.
Already Trinity is strongly developed in several of these areas, with the world famous Oscar Wilde Centre for Irish writing. New networks such as the Lir Centre for dramatic arts and the Centre for Composition have been established.
Commenting on the initiative and contribution the appointments will make in their new roles, Provost, Dr. John Hegarty said, “These adjunct appointments will bring the world of academia and creative practice closer together while at the same time reinforcing the great traditional values of the university. There is enormous potential benefit for Dublin city and Ireland in forging the new connections promoted under our creative initiative. This is but a first step.”
