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Announcement of new Executive Dean

5080/JA 4th June 2008

• Chris O’Neil to lead Birmingham Institute of Art and Design
  
  
• Appointment commences August 1
  
  
• Wide experience in Art and Design

Birmingham City University has announced the appointment of Chris O'Neil to the post of Executive Dean for Birmingham Institute of Art and Design (BIAD). 

Chris did his Foundation Diploma at Cardiff School of Art and went on to study for his degree in sculpture at Wimbledon School of Art and the Royal College of Art. He set up Tower Bridge Studios with his partner Louisa and started exhibiting his sculpture in the UK and Europe.

More recently, Chris has turned to documentary photography with much of this work set in the Southern States of the USA and exhibited in the UK and the USA.

Chris’ academic experience ranges from prison teaching to being the Head of School at Cardiff School of Art and Design. He has worked as a Pro-Vice-Chancellor at Thames Valley University and is an Executive Council Member of the Arts Council of Wales.

He has overseen and managed the Welsh Pavilions at the Venice Biennale and worked with the British Council and Regional Arts Councils to develop the UK’s presence at the Venice Architectural Biennale. Chris is a trustee of Safle, the public arts and landscape architecture board made up from CBAT and Art Works Wales.

Professor David Tidmarsh, Vice-Chancellor of Birmingham City University, said: “Chris joins us at a time of enormous potential for Birmingham City University. We are about to embark on our biggest-ever development project, the City Centre Campus, in which BIAD will hold a central role. I believe he is ideally suited to build on our existing international reputation for art, design and visual media.”

Chris will commence his employment with Birmingham City University on August 1.

For further information please contact Birmingham City University Media Relations Office on 0121 331 6738, email press@bcu.ac.uk or out of hours on 07967 271 532.

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