Daniel Shipsides

Daniel Shipsides is a Senior Lecturer in Art & Design at the Belfast School of Art, Ulster University, where he co-directs the MFA Fine Art program. Based in Belfast since 1995, he graduated with an MFA in 1997 and has been associated with Orchid Studios since 1997. His academic career is deeply intertwined with his artistic practice, having served as committee director at Catalyst Arts (1996-1998) and Bbeyond (2002-2007).

Shipsides' research interests center on the geographies of art, exploring landscape and spatial narratives through cultural, social, political, and environmental lenses. His concept of 'pata-perception' provides a framework for understanding the hybridization of overlapping fields of imaginative and experiential inquiry. He has developed a deep drawing practice in woodland spaces around Belfast through SECA (Centre for Sustainability, Equality and Climate Action), conducting free workshops open to the public that emphasize presence, observation, and iterative engagement with nature.

His extensive exhibition history spans international venues including American University Museum, Arnolfini Gallery, Melbourne International Biennial, and The MAC Belfast. Since 2004, he has worked collaboratively with Neal Beggs as Shipsides and Beggs Projects, producing works that engage with landscape, spatial narratives, and environmental concerns. His practice encompasses image, moving image, drawing, installation, music, and performance, reflecting a multidisciplinary approach to contemporary art.

Shipsides has received numerous prestigious awards including the AHRC Landscape and Environment Award (2006), ACNI Major Artist Award (2004), AHRC Creative Fellowship (2001), and Nissan Art Award (2000). His recent recognition includes the Artist International Development Award (2019) and Cathedral Quarter Visual Arts Bursary Award (2023). He has been featured in podcasts such as BBC Radio 3's 'From Deep Blue to Pale Blue' examining art and the natural environment through the lens of rock-climbing.

His current research projects include 'Beside on the Other Side; Disorientation Filmic Geographies and the Authoring of Place' (2023), extending his exploration of filmic representations of landscape and spatial narratives. Upcoming engagements include the '175: Celebrating the Future' event on Radical Pedagogies in Education for Sustainable Development (November 2024) and 'Dan Shipsides: More-than-representation in drawing' at NCAD x BSoA Research Forum (September 2025).