Professor Martyn Evans appointed new Director of Manchester School of Art

Professor Martyn Evans has been appointed as the new Director of Manchester School of Art at Manchester Metropolitan University.

A Professor of Design and current Head of the Manchester School of Art Research Centre, he is a vastly experienced product designer and design academic, with more than 20 years of research, teaching and leadership experience.

As well as providing strategic leadership for research in architecture, art, design, fashion and media over the last five years, Professor Evans has an extensive track record in creative curriculum development at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, both at Manchester Metropolitan and in previous academic posts as head of department.

Working closely with students, colleagues and a wide range of collaborators, my desire is to ensure Manchester School of Art becomes world-leading and revered for its creativity, diversity and ambition

His research interests lie in the strategic role for design as a driver of innovation, and he is currently the Principal Investigator on the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funded Design Action Plan project, which is developing an action plan for the strategic use of design in the UK, in collaboration with the UK Design Council.

As Director of Manchester School of Art, he will take a lead on the future development of the School – the second oldest art school in the UK.

He said: “I am honoured to be appointed as Director of Manchester School of Art and excited to have the opportunity to lead such a significant, vibrant and engaged art school. As a central part of the cultural and creative heartbeat of the city, I recognise how important partnerships are to the outward-facing and inclusive culture of the School.

“Working closely with students, colleagues and a wide range of collaborators, my desire is to ensure Manchester School of Art becomes world-leading and revered for its creativity, diversity and ambition.”

Professor Sharon Handley, Pro-Vice Chancellor for the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Manchester Metropolitan, said: “I am delighted that Martyn will be the new Director of Manchester School of Art. He brings with him an exemplary track record of leadership as a Head of Department, as Head of Manchester School of Art Research Centre, and as Principal Investigator on several major national and international research projects.

“He has a clear vision for the School, and is absolutely the right person to lead Manchester School of Art through the next stage of its journey as an art school for the 21th century.”

Before joining Manchester Metropolitan in 2015, Professor Evans was Director of the Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts at Lancaster University. He a member of the AHRC Advisory Board, a Board Member of the International Association of Societies of Design Research and external examiner for institutions in the UK and overseas.

“He has a clear vision for the School, and is absolutely the right person to lead Manchester School of Art through the next stage of its journey as an art school for the 21th century.”

In addition to the Design Action Plan project, he has worked as principal and co-investigator on major funded research projects including Living Design, which supported the implementation of design for sustainability in local maker enterprises, Create Fellows: The North West Creative Economy Engagement Fellowships, that secured a series of post-doc fellowships to conduct collaborative projects to scale up and grow the creative industries in the North West, and Design Routes which explored the role of design in developing and revitalising culturally significant designs and products and practices.