Cheryl Stock AM.
Cheryl Stock AM is joining NIDA as the new head of cultural leadership.
She joins arts advocate and course chair Robyn Archer AO in leading NIDA’s new Master of Fine Arts (Cultural Leadership) strand.
Stock has worked in the Creative Industries Faculty at Queensland University of Technology for the last fifteen years, where she held positions as head of dance and director of postgraduate studies, and is currently an adjunct professor.
She is also the secretary general of World Dance Alliance, and has lectured and published extensively in practice-led and creative arts research, contemporary Australian and Asian dance, interdisciplinary collaboration and intercultural/interactive and site-specific performance.
Stock is a recipient of the Australian Dance Award’s Lifetime Achievement and in 2014 was awarded an Order of Australia for her significant service to the performing arts.
"It is a privilege and a delight to be joining NIDA as it embarks on its innovative Graduate School program, particularly in working alongside course chair Robyn Archer AO with the NIDA academic staff and industry professionals to deliver the ground-breaking Cultural Leadership course", Stock said.
"I am looking forward to working with the industry practitioners who make up this inaugural MFA student cohort, and assist in providing them with strategies that support a professional creative environment to engender informed critical debate about broader socio-cultural issues beyond skills development and managerial competences".
"I also look forward to examining with the students, how and why we do what we do, and how we can effectively prepare together for an often volatile and ever-changing cultural landscape."
NIDA Director/CEO Lynne Williams said that NIDA was "very fortunate to have an artist and cultural leader such as Professor Cheryl Stock on board to help shape NIDA’s new Cultural Leadership course."
"Cheryl’s extensive experience across many areas of arts and academia, nationally and internationally, will provide the critical leadership and guidance needed to ensure our students become informed and articulate advocates who can go on to drive change and innovation across the arts and culture sector."
The MFA in Cultural Leadership is one of three new graduate courses launched this year, including the MFA in Design for Performance and MFA in Voice.