Professor Catherine Harper, started as the new Dean of the School of Arts and the Digital Industries in October 2011.  She has led Architecture and Design at the University of Brighton for five years, with previous academic, research and management experience at the University for the Creative Arts, the University of the Arts, Goldsmiths College and the University of Ulster.

Originally a visual arts and textiles practitioner, she has specialised in public commissions, installation and performance, undertaking artist residencies in Ireland, Canada and the Czech Republic.

She now writes on textiles, is UK editor of Textile: the Journal of Cloth and Culture, and sits on the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education. Her first book was published by Berg in 2007, and her third, Fabrics of Desire, will be delivered in late 2012.

A member of the Arts and Humanities Research Council Peer Review College and an Arts Council Advisor, Catherine is also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and sits on the International Committee for Fashion in Fiction.

Leadership and management of the School of Arts and Digital Industries.

Research: textile and dress culture; cloth narratives, particularly in relation to desire, gender and sexuality.

HE Leadership and Management: quality assurance and enhancement, academic development, governance and standards, strategic planning and delivery. Institutional management and effective leadership in Higher Education.

Proposed REF 2014 outputs that have been or will have been brought into the public domain during the publication period, 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2013, are as follows (in chronological order):

1.       I found myself inside her fur… (Special Issue: Skin, edited by Caryn Simonson) Textile: the Journal of Cloth and Culture 6:3, Autumn 2008, 300-314.

Solo-authored 6000-word essay submitted anonymously and blind-reviewed for a Special Issue of the journal that I normally co-edit (with Doran Ross, UCLA Fowler Museum). This Special Issue was edited by Caryn Simonson, Chelsea College of Art and Design, University of the Arts, London. Based on a lecture delivered at the Textile Museum, Washington DC (2007) and an article titled Pelting Down (Selvedge Nov/Dec 2006:20-21), this essay informed subsequent papers including Imagine being peeled… the sublime ecstasy of fur in fashioning well-being… 11th Annual Conference of the International Foundation of Fashion and Technology Institutes (IFFTI), London College of Fashion (published in proceedings, Fashion and Well-being?).

2.       Double Brides: Double Dresses: lesbian wedding dresses after the Civil Partnership Act UK, 2004 (Chapter 9) In: McNeil, P., Karaminas, V., Cole, C. (eds) Fashion in Fiction: Text and Clothing in Literature, Film and Television. Berg: Oxford, 2009.

Solo-authored chapter, based on paper delivered at the Fashion in Fiction conference, University of Technology, Sydney in 2007, and presented subsequently at Association of Art Historians conference, University of Ulster, Belfast (2007), London College of Fashion Public Lecture Series (2008), Design Research conference, National College of Art and Design, Dublin (2008) and Drexel University, Philadelphia (2010). Contributed to the co-convening on the 18th Lesbian Lives conference (with University College, Dublin) at University of Brighton in 2011, with proceedings to be published as a Special Issue of the peer-reviewed Journal of Lesbian Studies (Taylor & Francis, 2012).

3.       Harper, C. (ed.) Textiles: Primary & Critical Sources. Oxford: Berg, 2012 (in press).

A four-volume reference work that draws together 110 seminal texts on textiles. Solo-edited, the work also comprises a 20,000 four-part introductory essay by the editor.

4.       Harper, C. Fabrics of Desire. Oxford: Berg, 2012 (in progress).

An 80,000 word solo-authored booked commissioned by Berg, with initial research supported by an AHRC Small Grant in the Creative and Performing Arts (£18k). Development supported by a University of Brighton Research Sabbatical in 2010/11.

Books and chapters:

• Harper, C. (ed.) Textiles: Primary & Critical Sources. Oxford: Berg, 2012 (four-volume, solo-edited, in press).
• Double Brides: Double Dresses: lesbian wedding dresses after the Civil Partnership Act UK. In: McNeil, P., Karaminas, V., Cole, C. (eds) Fashion in Fiction: Text and Clothing in Literature, Film and Television. Berg: Oxford, 2009 - solo-authored chapter.
• Intersex. Berg: Oxford, 2007 – solo-authored book.
• Meditation on Translation and Seduction In: Millar, L. (ed) 21:21 The textile vision of Reiko Sudo and NUNO. University College for the Creative Arts, 2006 – solo-authored chapter.

 Essays, Catalogue texts, Reviews, Fiction:

• Knox Knox. The Dublin Quarterly. 16: September-November 2011 - online fiction.
• Thread Bare. Rochester Art Gallery, 2010 - catalogue essay.
• Lace Pecha Cucha. Textile: the Journal of Cloth and Culture. 6.2: July 2008, 112-125 - peer-reviewed article.
• I found myself inside her fur… Textile: the Journal of Cloth and Culture. 6:3: Autumn 2008, 300-314 - peer-reviewed essay.
• Textile Transporter. Arttransponder Gallery, Berlin, 2007 - catalogue essay.
• Catherine Bertola: Prickings. Fabrica, Brighton, 2006 - catalogue essay.
• Susie MacMurray: Shell. Pallant House, Chichester, 2006 - catalogue essay and web publication.
• Arch of Hysteria: Louise Bourgeois. Soft (Norway), 2007 - essay.
• David Brett: Revisiting Decoration. Textile: The Journal of Cloth and Culture 4:1: 2006, 96-97 - review essay.
• Narelle Jubelin. Textile: the Journal of Cloth and Culture. 1:3: November, 2003, 210-229  - peer-reviewed essay.
• QueenieOQueenie. CIRCA Art Magazine, Spring 2002 - essay.
• Re-Dressing Cathleen. Irish Studies Review. Winter, 1999 - review.
• Work in Process. CIRCA Art Magazine. Spring 1997 - photo-essay.
• Essays/Reviews on Tara Donovan, Louise Bourgeois, Julie Cook, Susie MacMurray, Eva Hesse, Catherine Bertola, Anna Piaggi, Reiko Sudo, Sophie Roet, Faith Ringgold, Jo Pierce, Tracey Emin, Yinka Shonibare, Boys Who Sew. Selvedge. 2004-08.
• Essays/Reviews on Deirdre Wood, Crafts Magazine. 2004-06.
• Essays/Reviews on Fernando Penteadomarques, Leigh Bowery, Do-Ho Suh, Narelle Jubelin. Embroidery Magazine, 2002-03
• Essays/Reviews of QueenieOQueenie; Damn Fine Art. CIRCA Art Magazine, 1999-02.

 Conference papers, symposia, lectures, orations (selected):

• Oration and Film for conferment of Honorary Doctor of Letters on Professor Declan McGonagle, University of Brighton, 2011.   
• Intersex in Performance. Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance, The Drill Hall, London, 2010.
• Imagine being peeled…IFFTI conference, London College of Fashion, 2009.
• Fashion and Emotion. London College of Fashion Public Seminar Series, 2008.
• Love subjects. Design History Research Centre, University of Brighton, 2008.
• Love Objects. National College of Art and Design, Dublin, 2008.
• Belfast Brides: Double Brides. Association of Art Historians conference, University of Ulster, Belfast, 2007.
• Double Brides: narratives of desire. Fashion in Fiction conference, University of Technology, Sydney, 2007.
• Lost in translation. Japanese Artists Symposium, University of Brighton, 2007.
• Fabrics of Desire. Textile Museum, Washington DC, 2007.
• Textile Texts. Rhode Island School of Design, USA, 2006.
• Catherine Bertola In Conversation / Pecha Kucha. Fabrica, Brighton, 2006.
• On creativity… British Council, Seoul, South Korea, 2006.
• IFFTI Executive, North Carolina State University, USA, 2006.
• I need Tracey Emin like I need god… Sketch, London, 2005.
• Craft Histories, Textile Futures. Design and Technology Association Conference, Sheffield Hallam University, 2005; Design and Emotion Conference, Middle East Technical University, Turkey, 2005; Design Research Society Futureground Conference, Monash University, Australia, 2004.

 Solo Exhibitions and Performances:

• The Virtues. Medievalmodern Gallery, Marylebone, London, 2003.
• Anatomical Drag. Orchard Gallery, Derry, 2001.
• Queenie knits one, purls one. Window42, New Oxford Street, London, 2001.
• Beginning. Project Arts Centre, Dublin; Orchard Gallery, Derry; Basement Gallery, Dundalk; West Cork Arts Centre, Skibbereen; Sligo Arts Centre, Sligo; The Belltable, Limerick; Galway Arts Centre, Galway; Screag an Iolair, Donegal; Sperrin Centre, Derry; Queen’s Hall, England; Orpheus Gallery, Belfast (1991-93).

 Selected Group Exhibitions:

• Leabhar Mòr na Gaeilge. Ulster Museum, Belfast; County Museum, Donegal; Wexford Arts Centre; City Arts Centre, Edinburgh; University of Virginia, USA; Smithsonian Institute, Washington DC, USA; Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow (2002-05).
• Fabrics and Fabrication Context Gallery, Derry; National Craft Centre, Ireland; Clotworthy House; Enniskillen Museum; Ulster Folk Museum, Belfast (2002-05).
• MESH, Seven Seven Gallery, London, 2004.
• Miniartextil (Guest Artist), Como, Italy, 2002.
• Levis Jeans Intervention. Cinch, Carnaby Street, London, 2002.
• Women Beyond Borders. Rivington Gallery, London, 1999.
• Go Girl! Show Girl! Gallery Fresh, London, 1999.
• Notes from Underground, Dostoyevsky Foundation, St. Petersburg, Russia, 1998.
• Video Invidious. ArtHouse, Dublin, 1998.
• Urban Outfitters Intervention. London, 1998.
• Human/Nature. McLaren Art Centre, Ontario, Canada; Thames Art Gallery, Ontario, Canada; Art Gallery of Peterborough, Ontario, Canada; Dalhousie Art Gallery, Nova Scotia, Canada; Art Gallery of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada; Maclaurin Gallery, Ayr, Scotland; Smith Art Gallery, Stirling, Scotland; City Art Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent, England; The Barbican, London; Oriel, Cardiff, Wales; Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Wales; Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Wales; City Library & Arts Centre, Sunderland, 1995-96.
• 12 Young Artists from Ireland. Itami City Museum of Art, Japan, 1995.
• Europe… Ormeau Baths Gallery, Belfast; Ecole Nationale d’Art Décoratif, Aubusson, France, 1995.
• Works. Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin, 1995.
• Works on Paper. Arts Council Gallery, Belfast, 1994.
• Fibre (Guest Artist). Galway Arts Centre, Galway, 1994.
• Parable Island II. Bluecoat Gallery, Liverpool, 1993.
• Bogland. Irish Life Exhibition Centre, Dublin, 1993.
• Gradual Textures. Crafts Council of Ireland, Dublin, 1989.
• Overseas. Wilson & Gough Gallery, London, 1988.
• Irisches Kunsthandwerk. Gestern und Heute, Karlsruhe/Hamburg, 1987.
• Burren 5. Arts Council Gallery, Belfast; Limerick City Gallery of Art, Ireland; Triskel Arts Centre, Cork; Crafts Council of Ireland, Dublin, 1987-88.

 Public art commissions and collections (selected):

• Waterfront Hall, Belfast (Collection Belfast City Council).
• National Concert Hall, Dublin (Collection Office of Public Works).
• Ministry for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, Dublin.
• The Women’s Centre, Derry (Lottery-funded).
• Royal Victoria Hospital NHS Trust, Belfast (Lottery-funded).
• Mater Hospital NHS Trust, Belfast (Lottery-funded).
• Meath County Courthouse, Meath (Collection Office of Public Works).
• Irish National Self-Portrait Collection.
• Ulster Mineral Company; Gilbert Ash Ltd, Ireland; Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, Belfast; Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Ireland; Leabhar Mòr na Gaelige; University of Ulster; Arts Council of Northern Ireland; Department of the Environment.
• Short-listed for Unicorn Children’s Theatre Commission, London, 2003
• Short-listed for Atrium commission, University of Ulster, Belfast, 2005 
• Private collections in Ireland, Scotland, England, Germany, France, Australia.

 Media and Citations (selected):

• Sanders, K. Bodies in the Bog and the Archaeological Imagination. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 2009, pp.152-154.
• Hartlaub, M.G. Living Between the Binary: A Review of: “Intersex by Catherine Harper”, book review, Journal of Sex Research. 46:5, September 2009, 509-510.
• Delimata, N. (conference paper citation) Articulating intersex: A crisis at the intersection of science and society (University College Dublin), Sociological Association of Ireland Annual Conference, Waterford Institute of Technology, 8-10 May, 2009.
• Hart, P. Intersex, book review, MC Reviews, http://reviews.media-culture.org.au/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2393.
• An Leabhar Mòr / The Great Book of Gaelic: An Exhibition - Twenty-two Irish and Scottish Gaelic Poems, Translations and Artworks, with Essays and Recitations. Archipelago: An International Journal of Literature, the Arts, and Opinion 7:3, Fall 2003. www.archipelago.org
• Loughlin, B. In the High Pyrenees, work cited, Penguin Ireland: Dublin, 2004.
• MacLean, M. (ed.) An Leabhar Mòr, work cited, Canongate Books: Edinburgh, 2002.
• Is mise teanna (I am the tongue), work cited, DVD Scottish Arts Council, Garlic Arts Agency.
• Fabrics and Fabrication catalogue, Context Gallery: Derry, 2001.
• Sheehan, D. Derry Women’s Centre, review, CIRCA Art Magazine Spring 2001.
• Brown, D. Fortnight, review, December 1998-January 1999.
• Artists Work Programme catalogue, Irish Museum of Modern Art: Dublin, 1998.
• Highfield, J. Winning the Turf: Ecology and History in the Irish Bogs, work cited, International Economic History Congress, Seville, August 1998.
• Kelly, L. Thinking Long, work cited, Gandon Editions: Kinsale, 1996.
• Rull, L. Reconsidering “Ceasefire”: Identity/Ceannacht: Bodies on the Border(Line): Mapping Political Gendered Identities Within the Political Conflict of Irishness, work cited, Leeds University PhD thesis, 1995.
• Kelly, L. The Art of Interrogations in Poetic Land/Political Territory, catalogue, Northern Centre for Contemporary Art: Sunderland, 1995.
• Bridgwater, C. Poetic Land/Political Territory, catalogue, Northern Centre for Contemporary Art: Sunderland, 1995.
• Nash, C. Landscape, Body and Nation: Cultural Geographies of Irish Identities, work cited, University of Nottingham PhD thesis, 1995.
• Darke, C. 12 Young Artists from Ireland, catalogue, Itami City Museum: Japan, 1995.
• McGonagle, D. A Beginning, catalogue, Orchard Gallery: Derry, 1991.
• McAvera, B. Parable Island, catalogue, Bluecoat Gallery: Liverpool, 1991.
• Work reviewed in The Sunday Tribune; CIRCA Art Magazine; The Irish Times; Artscribe; The Independent; Fortnight; Craft Review; The Irish News, 1987-94.

Research Degree Supervision:

• Currently supervising two Research Degree students (University for the Creative Arts; University of Brighton, the latter AHRC Doctoral Award funded). One supervision to completion at MPhil level (Royal College of Art).

 Research Degree Examination:

• External Examiner (PhD) at Royal College of Art (2010/2011); University of Technology, Sydney (2010); Anglia Ruskin University (2009); Grays School of Art, Aberdeen (2008); Chalmers University of Technology, Goteborg, Sweden( 2007).
• Independent Chair (PhD) at University of Brighton (2010/2011).
• Internal Examiner (PhD), University College for the Creative Arts (2007); Royal College of Art (1997).

 External Examining:

• Revalidation Subject Advisor, University of the Arts London (2010).
• Chief External Examiner for Design, Glasgow School of Art (2004-09).
• External Examiner (PG Textiles), Norwich University College of Arts (2004-09).
• External Examiner (UG Textiles), University of Dundee (2005-07).

 Editorships and Board Memberships:

• UK Editor, Textile: the Journal of Cloth and Culture (since 2004).
• Contributing Editor, selvedge magazine (2004-07).
• Editorial Board member, International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education (since 2007).
• Board Member, Community 21/Action in Rural Sussex (2010/11).
• Chair of Board of Governance, The House That Kevin Built (2010/11).
• Member of International Committee, Fashion in Fiction (University of Technology, Sydney; Drexel University, Philadelphia; Hong Kong City University).
• Founder member, LGBT Queer Life Research Hub, University of Brighton, and co-organiser of the Lesbian Lives: Revolting conference, University of Brighton in collaboration with University College, Dublin, 2011.
• Creative Arts Teams, Royal Victoria Hospital and Mater Hospital NHS Trusts, Belfast (1998-02).

 Professional Memberships:

• Fellow of the RSA.
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
• CHEAD: Council for Higher Education in Art and Design.
• GLAD: Group for Learning in Art and Design.
• Public Engagement Ambassador.
• International Foundation of Fashion & Technology Institutes (IFFTI).
• European Textile Network.
• Association of Churchill Fellows.
• Association of Fashion and Textiles Courses.
• Textile Society of America.

 Peer Review:

•  Artistic Assessor, Arts Council England (2010-12).
• AHRC Peer Review Panel (extended), additionally identified as having appropriate experience to review the high-level strategic Block Grant Partnership scheme proposals (since 2007).
• Peer review for: Design Issues journal; Utopian Studies journal; Art, Design and Communication in Higher Education journal; Occupation conference, University of Brighton; IFFTI conference, London College of Fashion; Design and Emotion conference, Hong Kong Polytechnic University; ELIA conference, University of Brighton; Royal Dublin Society National Crafts Competition.

 Artist-in-Residence Awards (funded):

• Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Ireland (annually since 1991).
• Cill Riallaig, Ireland (2002).
• Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin (1995-96).
• Nordiskt Konstcentrum, Helsinki, Finland (1995).
• Banff Centre for the Arts, Canada (1992).
• Orchard Gallery, Derry (1991).
• Atelier Jagoda Buic, France (1990).
• National Museum, Prague, Czechoslovakia (1989).

 Research Awards (selected, circa £700k since 1989):

• Invest To Gain Award for Digital Equipment, 2011.
• University of Brighton Research Sabbatical, 2010-11.
• Mentorship of successful three-year AHRC Doctoral Award, 2010.    
• Lead Academic, TSB Knowledge Transfer Partnership, 2010-12.
• Creative Campus Initiative / Cultural Olympiad Award, 2009.
• Foundation for the Scientific Study of Sexuality Grant-in-Aid, 2009.
• Sasakawa Foundation Award, 2008.
• AHRC Small Grant in the Creative and Performing Arts, 2006-07.
• Research Sabbatical, University for the Creative Arts, 2006
• Arts Council England, 2005-06.
• Drapers’ Company, Dyers’ Company and Worshipful Company of Weavers Awards, 2002, 2005.
• Research Fellowship, Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, London, 2003.
• Royal Female School of Art Award, 2003.
• Ray Finnis Charitable Trust Award, 2002.
• Research Bursary (3 years), Goldsmiths’ College, London, 1999-02.
• Arts Council of Northern Ireland Bursary, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1995, 1997, 2002.
• British Federation of Women Graduates Award, 1998.
• Sir Richard Stapley Educational Trust Award, 1998.
• Newby Trust Award, 1998.
• Aer Lingus Travel Awards, 1992, 1995, 1998.
• Belfast City Council Bursary, 1997.
• Irish Department of Foreign Affairs Travel Award, 1992, 1995.
• British Council Grant-in-Aid Award, 1995.
• Becks Bursary, 1992. 
• Ian Gow Memorial Trust Award, 1992.
• Elizabeth Fitzpatrick Bursary, 1992.
• Bass Ireland Main Award, 1992.
• Prince’s Trust Award, 1989.
• Winston Churchill Memorial Fellowship, 1988 
• Thomas Dammann Jnr. Travel Award, 1988.
• Peter Kirk Major Scholarship, 1988.
• Business and Professional Women’s Scholarship, 1988.
• Northern Bank Faculty Prize, University of Ulster, 1987.