University awards three Honorary Research Fellowships

09 Dec 2024

Meet trio recognised for their outstanding contribution to our region’s vibrant creative and cultural industries sector, who will embark on research projects aligning with research themes within the University’s Creative Manchester Research Platform

L-R Julie McCarthy, Dave Moutrey and Sameed Rezayan

The University has awarded Honorary Research Fellowships to three key figures in the Manchester’s thriving cultural scene:

Dave Moutrey: Director of Culture and Creative Industries for Manchester City Council;

Julie McCarthy: Strategic Lead for Creative Health, NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care / Greater Manchester Combined Authority;

Sameed Rezayan: Head of Learning, Factory International.

The appointments have been awarded an Honorary Research Fellowship in the Drama department to recognise the outstanding contribution and ongoing work that Dave, Julie and Sameed make to the vibrant creative and cultural industries sector in Greater Manchester.

The research projects they will embark upon align with the research themes within the University’s Creative Manchester Research Platform: Creative Industries and Innovation, Creativity, Health and Wellbeing, and Creative and Civic Futures.

Thomas Schmidt, Head of School of Arts, Languages and Cultures, said: “We are excited by the opportunity to work more closely with all three Fellows. They each bring a huge amount of passion, knowledge and expertise in the city-region's globally important cultural and creative industries. We look forward to engaging more closely with them and to the contributions they will make to our research, teaching and civic agenda.”

Julie McCarthy said: “I am delighted to have been awarded an honorary research fellowship from a university I consider truly committed to the idea of civic good. As lead for Creative Health at Greater Manchester NHS, I plan to use this opportunity to generate more debate and evidence about the power of culture and creativity to support people’s health and wellbeing.

“My 25-year career in this field began with an MA in Applied Theatre at the University of Manchester, and my commitment to the power of the arts for social change is even stronger than it was then. I hope this honorary fellowship will enable me to develop research ideas with colleagues at the university and with local communities, and to continue to find new and innovative ways to support those people experiencing some of the worst health inequities.”

Dave Moutrey added: “My appointment as an Honorary Research Fellow will add an extra dimension to my research into the impact of arts centres in the UK and Ireland since the 1920’s.  To be able to access the academic resources of the university and to be part of a community with similar research interests is very exciting and a huge privilege.  I can't wait to get started."

Sameed Rezayan commented: “This Fellowship is deeply meaningful to me, both professionally and personally. Over a decade ago, I started a PhD at The University of Manchester but couldn’t continue due to cuts in arts funding, so to now have the opportunity to pursue this research with the University’s support feels incredibly full circle. It will allow me to explore how art can create real change in society, systems, and individuals—an area I’ve been passionate about throughout my career.

“Having dedicated much of my life to supporting underrepresented young people in Manchester, this moment feels like a chance to build on those efforts and create lasting impact.”