Liam is a freelance theatre designer and  Programme Chair of Design for Stage and Screen at Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology.

Graduating from Nottingham Trent University in 1986 with a First Class Honours degree in Theatre Design, he worked extensively in the UK both as a practicing designer and academic before relocating to Ireland in 2006 to take up the post of Head of Art and Design at IADT. Liam has led and developed programmes in design at a number of British Universities including Theatre Design B.A. (Hons.) and the MA in Scenography(1999) at the University of Central England, Theatre Design and Technology at Bretton Hall B.A. (Hons.) (Leeds University 1997), Theatre Design B.A. (Hons.) and the Department of Narrative and Interactive Arts at Nottingham Trent University(2005). Liam has recently co authored Irelands first suite of honours degrees in Design for Stage and Screen, incorporating Production Design, Make up Design and Costume Design. He is an Expert Panellist (Art, Design and Drama) for the Higher Education Training and Awards Council (HETAC Ireland)and a highly experienced external examiner, currently at London College of Fashion and Mountview Academy of Performing Arts.

Liam was a founder member of the Association of Courses in Theatre Design and alongside his educational work has maintained a practice as set and costume designer which enabled him to work for a number of leading touring theatre companies and theatres.

Notable productions include; The White Album at Nottingham Playhouse, Romeo and Juliet at York Theatre Royal, Boys Stuff at Sheffield Crucible and the Rivals and The Seagull- both national British tours with Compass Theatre.

Liam’s work was recently included in the Collaborators Exhibition at The Victoria and Albert Museum London. He writes for The Blue Pages – The journal of the Society of British Theatre Designers, and his work can be seen in “2D 3D” (2002) and “Collaborators”(2007) , the quadrennial reviews of British Stage Design published by SBTD.

Recent conference papers, writings  and designs include;

Terence Gray, Irish Theatre and European Modernism at Queens University for the Irish Society of Theatre Research.

"The White Album", reflections on the integration of physical and projected scenographies for the Blue Pages (SBTD).

Terence Gray, Cuchulainn Unstaged, at Sligo Institute of Technology  for The American Conference  for Irish Studies and The  Irish Society of Theatre Research.

Issues and Themes in Developing Design for Stage and Screen, Irelands first BA.Hons in Performance Design. Ethics and Employability Conference at Aberystwyth University,  The Association of Courses in Theatre Design.

Scenography for  Ouroborus' - The Death of Harry Leon - Directed by David Horan, Smock Alley Theatre Dublin.

Qualifications

B.A. (Hons) Three Dimensional Design

(Theatre Design)

(1.1) First Class (Hons) , Commendation in Contextual Studies

Trent Polytechnic 1986

(Nottingham Trent University)

Diploma in Art and Design. (Foundation Studies)

Awarded Diploma

Birmingham Polytechnic 1983

(University of Central England)

Professional Membership

Society of British Theatre Designers

Association of Courses in Theatre Design

Association of British Theatre Technicians

Professional Practice

Theatre Designer

Academic Experience

1992
Birmingham Polytechnic Department of Foundation Studies;

Visiting Lecturer

1992
 Chesterfield College of Technology and the Arts,

Department of Foundation Studies;

Visiting Lecturer

1993-1996

University College Bretton Hall. Leeds School of Drama

Lecturer

Main responsibilities included development and delivery of new B.A. Hons Course, Theatre Design and Technology with particular responsibility for;

Undergraduate Theatre Design Practice

Supervision of project work across Drama and Design courses

Devised Visual Performance Level Two

Production Management and Realised Design Mentoring

Technical Theatre

Designed “Powerhouse Theatre” Wakefield a 200 seat

thrust theatre space .Conversion of extant retail outlet .

1995 Coordinated Prague Quadrennial Student Exhibition entry.

Resigned from post to join University of Central England as Senior Lecturer, Director of Studies in the School of Theatre Design.


1996 – 1999

University of Central England, Birmingham Institute of Art and Design (B.I.A.D)

Head of The School of Theatre Design , Course Director M.A. Scenography.

Senior Lecturer.

Main Responsibilities

B.A. (Hons) Theatre Design

B.A. (Hons) Performance Design and Communication

P.G.Cert. /P.G.Dip./ MA. Scenography

Course co-ordination, Management and Representation

Course Development.

Budget Control [E.S.F. Fund Holder]

I.P.R.

Line Management

Timetables

Assessment

Professional liaison including

Royal Opera House

Royal Shakespeare Company

Birmingham Repertory Theatre

Birmingham Royal Ballet

Midlands Arts Centre

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

Institute Experience

Member of B.I.A.D. Management Team

Academic Monitoring Committee

Health and Safety Committee

B.I.A.D Validation and Scrutiny Panel for Revalidation and Review

Matrix of Masters Degrees Panel

Faculty Electives Co ordination

Promoted to Head of School in 1997.

Successfully led School through QAA inspection in 1999.

Re designed and expanded undergraduate programmes including removal from the Department of Three Dimensional Design and re location in the Department of Visual Communication.

Authored:

· Scenography PG Cert/PG Dip/ MA

· Performance Design and Communication BA hons.

· Re validated Theatre Design BA hons

· Coordinated 1999 Prague Quadrennial Student Entry

Resigned from post in December 1999 to take up Senior Lectureship at Nottingham Trent University

2000 – 2003

Nottingham Trent University

Senior Lecturer, Programme Leader; Theatre Design.

Head of BA (hons) Theatre Design Programme

Senior Lecturer MA Theatre Arts

Department of Visual and Performing Arts Management Group (DAMG)

Health and Safety Representative

Successfully led programme area through QAA inspection 2000/1

2003
Promoted to Principal Lecturer and Subject leader (HOD) for newly constituted organisation of undergraduate and post graduate programmes in Spatial Design incorporating;-

Theatre Design

Interior Architecture

Design for Television

INTADAP

Member of SASQ – School Academic Standards and Quality

Member of School Management Team

· 2004 – Promoted to Academic Team Leader

School of Art and Design Management Team

2004 Principal Lecturer, Academic Team Leader for programmes in the subject area “Narrative and Interactive Arts “

Led re-design and internal validation process for programmes in;-

BA (Hons) Design for Film and Television

BA (Hons )Theatre Design

Ba (Hons) Multimedia

BSc (Hons) Multimedia

MA Theatre Arts

·2006 Head of Department of Art and Design at IADT Dun Laoghaire.

· Ma Visual Arts Practice

· Ma /MSc Digital Media

· Ba Hons Visual Communication

· Ba Hons Photography

· Ba Hons visual Arts Practice

Led design and validation of Ma/MSc Digital Media

Other Responsibilities

· Quality Assurance Group

· Academic Management Group

· Institute Management Team

· School of Creative Arts Executive

External Examining/Consultancy

The Arden School. Manchester. (University of Manchester) 2001- 2005

Performance Design and Management BA (Hons)

Central School of Speech and Drama Revalidation Panel June 2002

Theatre Practice BA (Hons)

Croydon College (London Metropolitan University) 2002-2005

Theatre Design BA (Hons)

Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (University of Wales )

Theatre Design BA (Hons.) 2005-2008 . Extended by University of Wales 2008

Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts (Middlesex University)

Technical Theatre (B.A. Hons)   2008


London College of Fashion (University of the Arts)
2009 -
Technical Effects BA hons
Make up for the Performing Arts BA Hons

2011
Costume BA Hons


HETAC (Higher Education and Training Awards Council, Ireland)
Register of Expert Panellists Art, Design and Drama.2009 -

Gaiety School of Acting Institutional Approval  Panel Member December 2009.


NEU NOW FESTIVAL      2009  Design Panel Judge
NEU NOW FESTIVAL      2010  Chair of Design Panel


Cork Institute of Technology, Crawford College of Art. 
Master of Arts Contemporary Fine Art. Chair, Internal Validation Panel. Spring 2009. 

Sligo Institute of Technology
Validation Panel :  BA Performing Arts May 2010

Anglia Ruskin University
Validation Panel: BA Hons Stage and Costume Design  May 2010

Sligo Institute of Technology
Programme Re Validation Panel
May 2011
 

Design Practice Includes

1986 –1988 Nottingham Playhouse; Design Assistant

Model maker, draughtsman, properties maker and scenic artist.

1988-1990 The Lace Market Museum

Assistant designer and scenic artist on the conversion of a 19th Century Unitiarian chapel to an environmental exploration/museum of The History of Nottingham Lace

The Tales of Robin Hood, Nottingham

Member of design team. Responsible for design and supervision of £1.8M environmental adventure and museum Including installation and scenic artwork. Winner of Best of British Tourism Board Award 1990.

1990- Present Freelance Designer

Working predominantly in theatre on the design of productions for a range of UK touring and in house shows.

1997-1999 Resident Designer Theatre Royal York

Invited to work as designer in residence.

Design practice sample of productions ;-

Theatre in Education

· Getting Through by Nona Shepherd Directed by Rick Hall. Roundabout Theatre Company.

· Thicker Than Water by Julie Dickinson Directed by Amanda Smith .Humberside T.I.E.

· The First Division by Michael Scott Directed by Amanda Smith. Humberside T.I.E.

· The Price we Pay Collar and Tie. Worcester

· Dear Nobody by Berlie Doherty Directed by Amanda Smith Sheffield Crucible T.I.E.

With Hull Truck Theatre Company

· Shakers by John Godber and Jane Thornton. Directed by John Goober. Wythernshaw Forum Manchester.  Spring Street Theatre and National Tour

· Laurel and Hardy by John McGrath. Directed by Damian Cruden . Spring Street Theatre

· Up ”n” Under by John Godber. Directed by John Godber. Spring Street Theatre, West Yorkshire Playhouse , National Tour

· Passion Killers by John Godber. Directed by John Godber Spring Street Theatre /Derby Playhouse co production. National Tour

· My Mother Said by Charlotte Keatley, Directed by Damian Cruden Spring Street Theatre

· Fish and Leather by Gill Adams. Directed by Damian Cruden Spring Street Theatre (Winner of Edinburgh Fringe First)

· Its a Girl Directed by Damian Cruden Spring Street Theatre

· A Hard Days Night by Frederick Harris. Directed by Neil Sissons. Spring Street Theatre

· Off Out By Gill Adams. Directed by Damian Cruden Spring Street Theatre/Riverside/Winner of Edinburgh Festival Fringe First

· Lonely Hearts  by Gill Adam. Directed by Damian Cruden Spring Street Theatre / Edinburgh Festival

· The Snow Queen Adapted by Damian Cruden. Directed by Damian Cruden . Spring Street Theatre

· Dead Fish by Gordon Steel. Directed by Gordon Steel. National Tour

Lawrence Batley Theatre Huddersfield

· Christmas Cat and The Pudding Pirates. Directed by Damian Cruden

Liverpool Everyman

· House Devised by the Company . Directed by Damian Cruden

Quondam Theatre Co. Penrith

· Act of Faith by David Napthine. Directed By Damian Cruden Small Scale National Tour .

Compass Theatre Company Sheffield 

· Endgame by Samuel Beckett. Directed by Neil Sissons

· Krapps Last Tape by Samuel Beckett. Directed by Neil Sissons

· The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare. Directed by Neil Sissons

· A Christmas Carol Adapted by Neil Sissons and Nick Chadwin. Directed by Neil Sissons

· The Rivals Sheridan. Directed by Neil Sissons

· The Seagull , Chekov , Directed by Neil Sissons

Sheffield Crucible

· Boys Stuff by Richard Hurford . Directed by Damian Cruden

York Theatre Royal; Artistic Director Damian Cruden

· Habeus Corpus by Allan Bennet

· Frankenstein Adapted for the stage by Richard Hurford

· Man of the Moment by Alan Ayckbourn

· Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

· Getting On by Allan Bennet

· Having a Ball by Alan Bleasedale

· The Snow Queen adapted by Damian Cruden, Directed by Lisa Adams

· Gargling with Jelly by Brian Patten. Directed by Amanda Smith [Co production with Sheffield Crucible]

· Noises Off by Michael Frayne

· Little Shop of Horrors. Musical by Howard Ashman

· The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams

· The Beauty Queen of Leenane by Martin McDonagh. Directed by Marcus Romer
  To Kill a Mockingbird. Directed by Damian Cruden 

Nottingham Playhouse

The White Album by Michael Pinchbeck. Directed by Giles Croft

Ouroborus Theatre Ireland

The Death of Harry Leon by Conall Quinn. Directed by David Horan. Smock Alley Theatre,   Dublin.

On Religion by AC Grayling and Mick Godwin.Directed by Denis Conway.

Non Theatre Work

The Lace Hall Museum

Conversion of a 19th Century Unitarian Chapel to an environmental exploration of the story of Nottingham Lace.

Assistant Designer

The Tales of Robin Hood

Member of the design and realization team on a 1.8M re development of large retail outlet to an environmental adventure based on the life and times of Robin Hood .

Powerhouse Theatre

Design of a new 200 seat theatre space in a converted retail outlet in Wakefield.

Conference Organisation.

The Next Stage: Association of Courses in Theatre Design Nottingham Trent University Summer 2004

OISTAT Symposium Nottingham Trent University October 2005

Recent Training


Research Methods in Art, Design and Media Education. Centre for Learning and Teaching  in Art and Design.


Archimedes, management training. Carr Communications/Price Waterhouse Cooper

References avaialable on request