About

A key aspect of my role within the Centre is to support innovative teaching and learning and maintain links with industry. I was Course Director and Admissions Tutor of the MA in Creative and Media Enterprises from 2008 - 2022 and now teach across the CMPS BA and MA programmes.

Professional background

I transitioned from industry into academia as my teaching role developed. I have previously held managerial positions in a variety of creative businesses and projects, including the performing arts, TV and film production, and design and communications. I also worked as a part-time project editor for the Marketing and Communications team at Warwick Business School alongside other freelance editorial and marketing consultancy projects. I am also a qualified dance and fitness trainer and my interest in movement and performance continues to inform my practice.

Within CMPS

I take a lead in industry engagement fostering the Centre's links within the creative and media industries. I maintain a broad network of contacts and collaborate with industry practitioners as co-tutors, panellists and guest speakers to share insight into contemporary issues and practices, and support students to secure projects and opportunities within organisations ranging from advertising and PR agencies, independent music labels and TV companies, to industry think tanks and creative industries development agencies. I am also a regular attender at networking events and conferences ensuring that the Centre maintains its ties with industry, and that teaching continues to reflect the realities of professional practice.

Work within the wider University and community

I am a member of the Creative FuturesLink opens in a new window Stakeholder Group working closely with colleagues in the Warwick Enterprise team to support the Creative and Digital Communities initiative.

I also work as a coach within the University's internal coaching serviceLink opens in a new window offering coaching to colleagues across the institution. As a qualified coaching supervisor, I also offer regular coaching supervision to internal coaches to support their practice and continued professional development.

I am a founding member of Warwick MediationLink opens in a new window where I volunteer as a lead or co-mediator supporting staff and students to resolve conflict and find constructive ways of communicating and relating to each other.

Recently (September 2023) I joined the School for Performing Arts Creative and Visual Cultures (SCAPVC) Senior Management Team as Senior Tutor where I provide advice, support and guidance to students, and support Personal Tutors within SCAPVC.

Research interests

My research interests relate to pedagogy and embodied learning, creativity theory; the management of creative business; creative teams and group dynamics; copyright and intellectual property; cultural and aesthetic theory, creative enterprise and entrepreneurship, space and performance, development and sustainability, digital and social media, TV; film; fashion; advertising, craft, and art and design.

Research projects include an investigation of copyright and innovation in Asia in association with digital rights lawyer and consultant, Nic Garnett, funded by the Motion Pictures Association of America, and an interdisciplinary ESRC/Impact Accelerator project, My Chain ReactionLink opens in a new window, with colleagues from WMGLink opens in a new window.

Teaching and supervision

In addition to the modules listed on the right, I also co-teach on the interdisciplinary undergraduate module Entrepreneurship: a Critical PerspectiveLink opens in a new window in association with the Institute for Advanced Teaching and Learning.

Pedagogic innovation

In addition to providing intellectual direction for CMPS modules, I lead new pedagogical developments relating to the creative industries sector, developing new teaching approaches focusing on intellectual property, creativity, creative enterprise development, and the use of technology in the learning environment. I am particularly interested in devising new techniques to facilitate experiential and transformative learning, and to access other forms of knowing beyond a purely intellectual engagement with knowledge and ideas. I am a regular facilitator at ‘away days’ and working groups exploring issues concerning pedagogy, enterprise, creativity and change.

Projects include the development and introduction of Open Space Learning practices (see also Open Space Learning) across the Centre's programmes and specifically in the teaching of creativity and management, cultural enterprise and the dynamics of creative teams. I was also a member of the Open Space Learning Steering Committee and played an active role in supporting and collaborating with colleagues, (notably Dr Nicholas Monk and Jonathan Heron) across the University in the development and delivery of innovative teaching and learning initiatives.

I continue to explore and develop the use of Forum Theatre within my coaching and teaching practice. This has included the facilitation of a two day Forum Theatre training workshop for colleagues in conjunction with Tony McBride, Director of Projects at Cardboard Citizens, to explore the challenges and obstacles to creativity in a formal learning environment. I have also led internal staff development workshops for LDC, the University's Learning and Development Centre. Students may encounter Forum Theatre in the context of practical workshops on intercultural communication, developing collaborative and creative practice, and understanding team dynamics.

Mediasmithery and

In 2013 I was awarded an IATL Fellowship to produce The Mediasmith Project, an ongoing exploration into transmedia documentary practices in learning and knowledge production. The first phase of the project brought a team of interdisciplinary colleagues together to work with technologists, filmmakers and creative producers in a series of workshops exploring the opportunities that documentary filmmaking, digital storytelling, data visualisation and analytics tools can offer in research and teaching.

The second part of the project saw the first PopathonLink opens in a new window hosted within a university setting in February 2015. Led by creative technologist, Philo Van Kemenade and filmmaker, Gilles Pradeau, Popathon is an international series of hackathon events bringing together digital storytellers, technologists and designers to prototype the future of web-native storytelling. Members of the university community and other participants from the West Midlands region were invited to take part in a 24 hour Popathon to create new stories inspired by academic research and creative collaboration.

IATL workshop with the Ginterval Theatre ensemble exploring images of creativity and artists

Administrative roles

SCAPVC Senior Tutor

Creative Futures Stakeholder Group Member

Enterprise Partnership Committee Member

Selected publications

• Godsell, J. Leary, R. and Karatzas, A. 'Public Engagement Through Transmedia Storytelling: can it foster sustainability in society?' Paper for the Special Forum on Innovative Methodologies at the EuROMA Sustainability Forum April 2016
• Godsell, J. Leary, R. and Karatzas, A. 'Public Engagement Through Transmedia Storytelling: The MyChainReaction Project' Poster presentation for 15th European Conference on Research Methodology for Business Management, (ECRM) June 2016
• Godsell, J. and Leary, R. 'Low milk prices unearth the supply chain's dirty secrets' The Conversation 12th August 2015
• Bilton, C. and Leary, R., ' Digital Transformation and the Arts; A Case Study', Conference Paper, ICCPR 2012.
• Bilton, C., and Leary, R., 'What Can Managers Do for Creativity? Brokering Creativity in the Creative Industries', International Journal of Cultural Policy Vol. 8 no. 1 (2002), pp. 49 – 64.

Qualifications

• MA in European Cultural Policy and Administration (Warwick)
• Postgraduate Certificate in Post-Compulsory Education (Warwick)
• Diploma in Coaching and Mentoring (Warwick)
• Certificate in Civil, Corporate, and Workplace Mediation
• Certificate in Coaching Supervision (OCM)

Professional associations

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy