Angela Pickard

Professor Angela Pickard serves as Director of the Sidney De Haan Research Centre for Arts and Health within the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Social Care at the University of Kent. She concurrently leads the MA Arts, Health and Performance program and directs the hub for practice-based research in the arts in the School of Creative Arts and Industries. Appointed in 2021 as the UK's first Professor of Dance Education, she bridges academic scholarship with practical applications in dance and health.

Her research investigates dance's impact on physical, psychological, and social well-being across diverse populations. Key projects include 'Dance to Health' for falls prevention in older adults, 'Little Big Dance' for early years development, 'Cygnets' with New Adventures, and PiPA (Parents and Carers in Performing Arts) examining career progression barriers for dance artist parents. Her work spans participatory community initiatives to professional dance practice, collaborating with institutions like The Place, Northern Ballet, and The Royal Ballet School.

She directs the Sidney De Haan Research Centre for Arts and Health and the practice-based research hub, driving interdisciplinary collaborations between dance, healthcare, and education sectors to translate research into real-world interventions.