Creative arts innovation and education in South Australia will receive a significant boost in 2020 following the appointment of a world-renowned choreographer as the new Professor of Flinders University’s Creative Arts department.
Studies have shown that the arts can provide a range of academic and personal benefits for both young people and adults and can even be used as successful therapy for people struggling with mental illness.
Earlier this year, a report found that engagement in this field leads to a reduction in the proportion of students receiving disciplinary infractions, improved writing achievement and increase in students’ compassion for others.
Flinders Creative Arts is ranked No. 1 in SA in undergraduate Creative Arts for full-time employment, overall quality of educational experience, skills development and teaching quality, according to The Good Universities Guide 2020 (public SA-founded universities only).
Now, Australian Dance Theatre (ATD) Artistic Director Garry Stewart will share his global experience and skills with students and staff at Flinders University as its new Professor of Creative Arts.
Listed as one of the leading Fifty Contemporary Choreographers (Routledge), Garry Stewart has a full dance card at ADT next year, his projects including a major new work in the Dunstan Playhouse, a European tour, presentation of a large-scale community project and a new work for the Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art.
“I look forward to working with staff and students on transforming the creative endeavours of the university, provoke radically new modalities of thinking in the creative field and work with other Flinders colleagues to elevate Flinders to the top tier of innovative creative arts,” Stewart said.
After celebrating 20 years with ADT, making him the longest serving artistic director in the company’s 54-year history, Stewart is planning another ambitious program in many artistic fields in 2020 – including his first wholesale foray back into university life.
Professor Vanessa Lemm, Vice-President of the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences at Flinders University, said the University was “delighted” to offer the position to someone of Stewart’s calibre.
“He brings a vast amount of overseas and national experience to our Bachelor of Creative Arts students and will join an impressive number of other leaders in creative arts teaching at Flinders,” Professor Lemm said.