Gregory Ackland

“Learning to deal with ambiguity, being curious and questioning everything – that’s what artists do. I’m interested in fostering open and inclusive learning spaces for our students to develop a sense of who they are, to take risks and to make the work they need to make.”

Gregory Ackland is a practising artist and arts educator with 17 years of teaching experience in the visual and creative arts. He is a passionate advocate for the value of creativity, innovation and culture.

Gregory is interested in digital media practices, conceptual photography and the moving image. He has facilitated workshops, presented papers and collaborated with colleagues at Coventry University, UK and Deakin University, AUS on topics including contemporary Chinese photo media, the role of photography in a media economy, arts careers and new media practices.

As the Principal Lecturer for Visual Arts he provides academic leadership for staff and students, develops partnerships with industry and maintains an active teaching role. His teaching focus includes arts funding, creative entrepreneurship, career pathways and cultural critique.

He has judged a number of arts awards, including the AIPP Contemporary Art Photography prize, delivered workshops for the Art Gallery of South Australia and regularly sits on arts funding assessment panels. Gregory is a represented artist with Hill Smith Gallery, South Australia.

Peter Sheedy

“Dance was always something that I was drawn to for self-expression but I had no idea where to begin to turn it into a career. Start somewhere like a tertiary college? That’s how I launched and I haven’t looked back. My career covers all matter of creative processes and performance formats involved in contemporary dance performance and all have informed how I teach and what is critical in the exchange.”  

Peter’s professional career commenced in Canberra at Human Veins Dance Theatre. He then spent the next twenty years performing and collaborating in leading contemporary dance companies including Dance North, Australian Dance Theatre, Chrissie Parrott Dance Company, Taipei Crossover and Leigh Warren and Dancers.

In that time, he has worked with choreographers/directors such as Graeme Watson, Nanette Hassel, Douglas Wright, Jean-Pierre Perreault and Per Jonsson and has performed lead roles in Glen Tetley’s “Pierrot Lunaire” and William Forsythe’s “Enemy in the Figure”.

Peter has taught extensively in contemporary dance studies and received choreographic grants from ARTSA and the Australia Council.