Heidi Ashton

Dr. Heidi Ashton is an Associate Professor in Cultural and Creative Ecologies at the University of Warwick's Centre for Cultural and Media Policy Studies (CCMPS). She holds a concurrent role as a global research fellow at the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre (PEC). Her work bridges academic research with practical insights from over 25 years of experience as a freelance dancer, choreographer, and producer across global creative sectors. Key affiliations include Director of Education for SCAPVC and external PhD evaluator at Bahria University, Pakistan.

Research interests focus on freelance workers' rights within creative industries, social security access, and policy impacts on arts education and cultural participation. Notable projects include collaborations with Equity Union on social security challenges and with Prof. Prue Huddleston on arts education policy. Her work has influenced UK policy debates, including House of Lords citations and Guardian features.

Teaching responsibilities span undergraduate and postgraduate levels, including modules on creative industry workplaces and policy analysis. Current PhD supervision explores cultural policy-labour dynamics and digital platforms' role in creative work. Recent projects include the 'Urban Village' community arts initiative in Coventry and pandemic impact studies on cultural sectors.

Publications address freelance worker vulnerabilities, comparative cultural policies (e.g., UK vs USA), and educational apartheid critiques. Her 2024 co-authored 'State of the Arts' report provides a UK-wide cultural sector health check, presented to DCMS officials and arts leaders.