Our People

Paul Fieldsend-Danks stood in front of an installation in an exhibition Pauls arms are crossed and he is wearing a suit

Professor Paul Fieldsend-Danks

Vice-Chancellor & Chief Executive, Professor of Fine Arts Education

Professor Paul Fieldsend-Danks is an artist and educator with over 25 years experience in creative arts higher education and leadership in the UK. In 2022, Paul became the first Vice-Chancellor of Arts University Plymouth, following the award of University title to Plymouth College of Art. He is currently Professor of Fine Arts Education, a Fellow of the RSA, a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and is a member of the Plymouth Growth Board. Paul’s research includes both practice-based and pedagogic strands of enquiry. He is interested in the production of artefacts within an expanded field of contemporary drawing practice; and the discourses that inform new perspectives on creative learning in art and design higher education. Paul has exhibited his work in the UK, Australia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Japan, Spain, and Switzerland, with work in both public and private collections. As an academic, Paul is currently on the editorial board for the international journal Drawing: Research, Theory, Practice published by Intellect, and was previously a co-director of the international drawing visualisation and research journal Tracey, published by Loughborough University (2011-2014). Paul regularly contributes to academic peer-review including Making Futures, The Journal of Visual Arts Practice, and book reviews for Bloomsbury Publishing and Intellect Books. Paul is a member of <a href="https://www.wearecreative.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Creative UK's</a> UK Council (formerly Creative England) which plays a vital role in determining and shaping Creative UK’s impact priorities, steering policy and determining areas for strategic investment, innovation and growth linked to the UK's creative industries.

Professional Memberships

Research Interests

Research Outcomes

Publications 2020 Fieldsend-Danks, P., ‘Drawing-in-situ: material encounters with place’, Drawing Research Theory and Practice, Journal, Intellect/ Issue 5.1. ISSN 2057-0384, Online ISSN 2057-0392, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1386/drtp_00024_7">https://doi.org/10.1386/drtp_0...</a> 2019 Embury, G; Mercier, A; Regan, C; Ward, L. ‘Drawing at Art School’, Drawing Research Document 2, University of the West of England <a href="http://www.uwedrawingresearch.com">http://www.uwedrawingresearch....</a> 2019 Fieldsend-Danks, P. (ed.) ‘Drawing learning’, Drawing Research Theory and Practice, Journal, Intellect/ Guest Editor Issue 4.2. ISSN 2057-0384, Online ISSN 2057-0392. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1386/drtp_00001_2">https://doi.org/10.1386/drtp_0...</a> 2016 Fieldsend-Danks, P. (2016), ‘The Dialogues project: Students as partners in developing research-engaged learning’, Art, Design & Communication in Higher Education, 15: 1, pp. 89–102, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1386/adch.15.1.89_1">https://doi.org/10.1386/adch.1...</a> 2014 Harty, D. (ed.) Drawology, Exhibition catalogue ISBN. 978-0-9576009-7-3, <a href="https://issuu.com/deborahharty/docs/drawology">https://issuu.com/deborahharty...</a> 2014 Fieldsend-Danks, P. (ed.) (2014) Drawing in-situ (Guest Editor), Tracey Journal/ ISSN. 1742-3570. Drawing In-situ. 2010 Jerwood Drawing Prize 2010, Jerwood Visual Arts ISBN. 978-0-9563570-1-4 2009 All over the place: Drawing space, drawing place, Land2, Caseroom Press, Lincoln. ISBN. 978-1-905821-14-3 Papers 2019 Fieldsend-Danks, P. (2019), ‘Drawing Learning/ learning drawing’, paper, Drawing research symposium, University of the West of England. UWE Drawing research. 2017 Brown, M., Fieldsend-Danks, P., Sims, E. (2017) ‘Trading places: developing a disruptive model for interdisciplinary practice’, paper, in ‘Exploring Territories: The Changing Landscape of Art & Design Higher Education’, GLAD Conference, Manchester Metropolitan University. 2016 Fieldsend-Danks, P. (2016), ‘Crossing Territories: developing a framework for interdisciplinary practice in postgraduate teaching’, paper: Arts without borders conference, Helsinki University of the Arts, Finland. 2015 Fieldsend-Danks, P. (2015), ‘Students as partners: integrating undergraduate and postgraduate students in curriculum design’, paper for 7th ELIA (The European League of Institutes of the Arts) Teachers’ Academy, ENACT: Learning in/through the Arts, Tilburg, The Netherlands. Exhibitions 2019 Zwischen Ausgängen – Pending Issues, Galerie Weisser Elefant, Berlin, Germany. 2019 Anonymous Drawings Archive, Kunsthaus Kannen Museum for Outsider Art and Contemporary Art, Münster, Germany. 2016 Constellation, Undercroft, Norwich, in collaboration with Piet Zwart Institute, Rotterdam. 2016 Imagined Landscapes, Royal West of England Academy, Bristol. 2015 Anonymous Drawings 2015, Galerie Nord Berlin Germany (touring 2015-16: Galerie ARTQ13 Rome Italy/ Galerie GEYSO20, Braunschweig, Germany). 2014 Space Place and Negotiated Territories, Norwich University of the Arts. 2014 Drawology II, Lanchester Gallery, Coventry University. Curated Projects 2018 Factory Settings, Plymouth College of Art at Tate Exchange, Tate Modern, London. 2016 HxBxP: Project artist: James Quinn (PhD candidate) in ‘Le Accademie di Belle Arti si mostrano’, Corso Federico II, 33, L’Aquila, Italy. 2016 Constellation, Undercroft, Norwich, in collaboration with Piet Zwart Institute, Rotterdam (co-curated with Dr Judith Stewart). 2014 Afteryears: British Art 1946-52, Gallery at NUA, Norwich: works selected from the Arts Council Collection, MA Curation show (co-producer with Professor Neil Powell). Editorial 2021 Peer reviewer, Pedagogies: An International Journal, Routledge. 2020- Peer reviewer, Journal of Visual Art Practice, Routledge. 2020 Editorial review: Field, S., Scenographic Design Drawing: Performative Drawing in an Expanded Field, Bloomsbury Publishing (sleeve quotation). 2020 - Peer Reviewer, Making Futures Journal, Arts University Plymouth. 2014 - Editorial Board: Drawing Research Theory and Practice, Journal, Intellect. 2015 Editorial review: Schenk, P., Drawing in the Design Process: Characterising Industrial and Educational Practice, Intellect Books (sleeve quotation). 2015 - Peer reviewer: Drawing Research Theory and Practice, Journal, Intellect Books . 2011 Editorial review (article): Tormey, J. The afterthought of drawing: 6 Hypotheses, pp. 241-258, in. Gansterer, N. Drawing a Hypothesis: Figures of Thought, Springer Wien, New York. 2007-14 Co-editor: TRACEY: peer reviewer for international journal of drawing visualisation and research, Loughborough University, (2007-2014).