[Pictured above: Dr. Philip David Clark and Dr. Mark Leslie Woods seated at the graduation exercise in Treforest, Wales, waiting to receive conferment of their degrees of Doctor of Philosophy on 17 December 2007.]
A belated Llongyfarchiadau / Congratulations to the first two recipients of the degree 'Doctor of Philosophy'(PH.D.) to graduate since the Cardiff School of Creative & Cultural Industries Faculty has moved into their new University of Glamorgan ATRiuM arts & media complex located in the center of Cardiff, the capital of Wales.
Receiving the degree of Ph.D. from the ATRiuM:
The Degree of Doctor of Philosophy / Gradd Doethur mewn Athroniaeth
Philip David Clark, in recognition of a work entitled, "Ten Years at the Sherman Theatre, 1990-2000". The programme of work was carried out under the direction and supervision of Professor Steve Blandford and Ms Maggy McNorton, Cardiff School of Creative & Cultural Industries.
Phil Clark [Director]
Cardiff
Artistic Director, New Writing, Devising
Freelance & Sherman Theatre
Selected plays and projects:
'Flesh&Blood' Helen Griffin, 'The Mad Millenium' &
'Crackers Xmas' Terry Deary,
'Everything must go' & 'Unprotected sex' Patrick Jones,
'Oyster Catchers' Fris Gower - Sherman Theatre
Phil Clark has an outstanding reputation as a director with several of his Sherman Theatre Company productions, such as Under Milk Wood, Boy and A Taste of Honey, having visited the theatre in the past.
Born and brought up in Brecon, Phil trained at the Rose Bruford School of Speech and Drama and Durham University.
He was a founder member of Powys Theatre Company and Bruvvers Theatre Company in Newcastle Upon Tyne.
In the eighties he was Director of Theatre in Education and Community Theatre at The Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.
Phil was appointed Artistic Director of The Sherman Theatre in 1990.
[Pictured above: Dr. Phil Clark backstage.]
Dr. Phil Clark is the artistic director at Cardiff's Sherman Theatre, and is hailed as a visionary for the Welsh Theatre. He's quoted in a recent article about his plans for the Sherman:
Over 90 new plays have been commissioned and staged at the Sherman since 1990, many of them geared towards the interests and concerns of a younger audience.
The Sherman Theatre Company have won awards for their special Christmas shows staged for the under seven's, as well half-hour dramas, which have later transferred to television and radio.
With the advent of the National Assembly, Phil Clark is hoping to develop further the profile of Welsh drama in the capital city, building on a far-reaching network of cultural practitioners, including directors such as Michael Bogdanov, Katie Mitchell, and Jude Kelly.
"Over the next few years, there is a golden opportunity to put the Sherman at the forefront of producing houses in Wales," Phil Clark adds.
Over the next 10 years, Phil Clark wants to build a production base that will attract the same kind of interest as Dublin's Abbey Theatre, or Glasgow's Tron Theatre.
There are already plans for a major new writing project linking Ireland, Scotland and Wales, as each of these nations embarks on far-reaching political and social changes; a scheme to promote the training of young directors; and further collaborations with the BBC, as well as Welsh independent television companies.
"A new nation is being created and we should be there putting our perspective across in as many ways as possible. We need to invest in what we have here - and it is a considerable bank of talent - but we should also look to the international stage. These are exciting times."
To read the entire article please see:
The Sherman -- the play's the thing...
[Pictured above: During his doctoral studies at the University of Glamorgan, Cardiff School of Creative & Cultural Industries, Dr. Mark Leslie Woods has taught courses in the History of Television & Film, Welsh Film, and lecturing and holding seminars in Film Studies.]
Mark Leslie Woods, in recognition of a programme of work entitled, "An evaluation of the national cinema of Wales and whether this cinema constructs of represents a National Identity".
The programme of work was carried out under the direction and supervision of Professor Steve Blandford, Dr Lisa Lewis and Mr Ieuan Morris, Cardiff School of Creative & Cultural Industries.
Dr. Mark Leslie Woods recently received his Ph.D. in Film Studies from the Cardiff School of Creative & Cultural Industries, at the University of Glamorgan located in Cardiff, Wales (27 June 2007).
He is currently completing a Postgraduate Teaching Certificate in Higher Education, also at the University of Glamorgan.
For the past four years he has lectured part-time in Film & Media Studies in Pontypridd and Cardiff. He is an adult Welsh language learner since 2003.
Dr. Woods previously earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Liberal Studies, with a Film Studies Certificate, from Florida International University in Miami, Florida.
Dr. Woods also studied Film Production Technology at Miami-Dade College School of Entertainment Technologies.
Prior to this he completed a 4-year program in Theatre, Radio & Television at the Malone College Evangelical Friends University (Quaker) in Canton, Ohio, but did not graduate.
Dr. Woods formerly served on the Board of Directors of the Independent Feature Project/Miami.
He has previously served as an Intern Marketing Assistant for the Miami International Film Festival, and he was formerly on the Board of Directors of the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival.
He spent two summers teaching undergraduate Karlovy Vary International Film Festival-related study abroad film courses in Miami and Prague, Czech Republic.
Dr. Woods and his family have made their home in Miami Beach since 1982.
He is originally from an English and Welsh-descended family that were involved in the settlement and building of a Welsh-speaking community in the 1860s in Ohio, and who comprised several of the original founding members of the Youngstown, Ohio Welsh Congregational Chapel.
[Pictured above: Professor Steve Blandford, Associate Dean Cardiff School of Creative & Cultural Industries waits to congratulate Dr. Mark Leslie Woods.]
Professor Steve Blandford was Director of Studies for both scholars receiving their doctorates from the ATRiuM.
Professor Blandford's research interests include British Film, theatre and television, New writing for stage, screen and radio, Screen performance, Media and performance in small nations, and his current research activity includes Screen and performance culture in small nations.
Professor Blandford recently published
Film, Drama and The Break-Up of Britain, Bristol, Intellect, 2007.
In a related story:
[Pictured above: The ATRiuM in coloured floodlights, as searchlights, limousines and and the celebrity redcarpet create a celebrity splash in sexy Cardiff city centre. Photography by Mark Leslie Woods © 2007]
Cardiff’s Most Exciting Campus Opens
November 28, 2007
The UK’s hottest new hub for the training of tomorrow’s creative industry professionals was officially launched by a host of well-known faces at a glittering event in Cardiff last week, 29th November 2007.
‘ATRiuM’ is the name for the building which is the city centre home to the University of Glamorgan’s Cardiff School of Creative & Cultural Industries.
The new School brings together the creative disciplines within the University of Glamorgan, including Art & Design, Media & Communication and Drama & Music.
Celebrities and leading professionals from across the creative industries were guests on the red carpet for the launch event which will showcase the state-of-the-art building.
The evening was compered by actress Sian Phillips and presenter Rhodri Owen who took guests through an evening packed with entertainment.
Performances were given by well-known harpist Catrin Finch and vocalists Elin Manahan and Daisy Blue who was accompanied on the piano by her father Mal Pope.
Professor Peter Robertson who is the Dean of the new faculty commented, “This high-tech teaching environment provides undergraduate, postgraduate and research degree programmes and will be the largest single university initiative for the creative and cultural industries in the UK.”
Also joining in the celebration was the faculty’s new board of visiting Professors which include some of the biggest names in the creative industries.
This advisory board, headed by industrial designer, Professor Nick Butler OBE, will be made up of actor Daniel Evans, composer Karl Jenkins, animator Robin Lyons, film director Marc Evans and theatre director Terry Hands. Profiles
Messages of support from actors Matthew Rhys and Jonathan Pryce and Welsh band The Lost Prophets were read on the evening.
The multi-million pound facility stands as an architectural icon in the city, as well as a platform for a mix of teaching and research in the theory and practice of media, design and cultural studies.
As well as high-tech teaching and learning spaces and facilities, academics and practitioners from a broad range of subject areas work together in an exciting environment geared to sharing expertise.
Professor Peter Robertson added, “This Faculty is a major development for Wales and the UK and has attracted enormous interest from the media industry, arts and cultural organisations.
Both the Faculty and the campus are being seen as a focus for the creative industries in Wales and we will be producing the professionals of the future to work in these economic growth sectors.”
Some facts about the building:
- The ATRiuM is a £35 million development. It is a 5 storey, 10,500 square metre facility.
– It is a faculty for approx 2000 students and 120 staff.
– The building contains a cinema, TV, radio and film production facilities, design studios, theatre and performance spaces, photography and journalism spaces, animation studios and computer labs.
AIM: ATRiuM Intelligent Media
Chapter Arts Centre Cardiff
Cardiff School of Creative & Cultural Industries
mwoods[at]glam[dot]ac[dot]uk
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