Aoife Monks

Dr Aoife Monks is a Professor and Reader in Drama, Theatre, and Performance Studies at Queen Mary University of London, serving as the Arts and Culture Academic Lead. Her roles include directing the Queen Mary Artist Research Fellowship scheme, curating the National Theatre’s Costume exhibition, and evaluating Knowledge Exchange initiatives for Research England. With a PhD from Trinity College Dublin, she has held academic positions at the University of Reading and Birkbeck. Her research focuses on costume studies, stage Irishness, and arts advocacy, with notable publications like The Actor in Costume (2010) and Costume: Readings in Theatre Practice (2015). She has received the David Bradby Award and Queen’s Award for voluntary service. Monks collaborates widely, including with Scene & Heard, the English National Opera, and public engagement projects like ‘Life is Shit.’

Education & Background: BA and PhD from Trinity College Dublin, followed by roles at the University of Reading and Birkbeck. Her career bridges academia and arts practice, with a decade in the UK prior to joining Queen Mary in 2014.

Research & Publications: Key areas include critical approaches to costume (exemplified by the National Theatre exhibition), virtuosity in Irish performance, and advocacy for arts workers. Recent work includes Costume at the National Theatre (2019) and articles on performance theory, modernism, and cultural identity.

Awards & Impact: Recipient of the David Bradby Award (2010) and Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (2011). Her work emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, public engagement, and supporting emerging artists.

Advising & Grants: Supervises doctoral students in theatre studies, chairs public engagement grant panels, and oversees the Artist Research Fellowship scheme. Externally examines PhD candidates across multiple institutions.

Labs & Teams: Leads Queen Mary’s Arts and Culture Strategy, collaborating with departments like the Centre for Public Engagement and external partners such as the National Theatre, Scene & Heard, and the English National Opera.