Billy Rough

Dr Billy Rough is a Lecturer in the School of Art History at the University of St Andrews, where he has taught since 2001. He co-leads the Digital Art History MLitt programme, coordinates the Short Course and MA Combined Studies programmes, and delivers specialized modules on 19th-20th century British art and theatre.

His educational background includes:

• PhD in Art History, University of St Andrews (2010)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Museum and Gallery Studies (2016)

Dr Rough's research centers on British art-theatre interplay during the long nineteenth century, with deep expertise in Walter Sickert, music hall culture, and etching revival. His methodology bridges art historical analysis with cultural studies to examine how theatrical contexts shaped artistic production and reception across social strata.

Recent publications (2021-2024) reveal concentrated scholarship on Dundee's music hall history and Sickert's theatrical connections, spanning academic journals, exhibition catalogues, and public history venues. This output demonstrates exceptional versatility in addressing both scholarly and public audiences through diverse publication formats.

Dr Rough has supervised PhD candidate Renato Trotta and secured competitive research funding:

• Carnegie Trust grant (2014-2015, £2,025.12) for "Online Catalogue of The Orchar Collection: Pupils of Robert Scott Lauder"
• AHRC Cultural Engagement Fund project (2013) for "James Guthrie Orchar – The Orchar Collection: Prints"

He actively collaborates on the 'Phenomenal Bodies: Exploring Disability in Scottish Academic Collections' project with Dr Emily Hanson and maintains strong institutional engagement through exhibitions and lectures at Tate Britain, National Galleries of Scotland, and other major cultural venues.