Eleanor Pender

Eleanor Pender is a Senior Lecturer in Creative Industries at the University of the West of England (UWE), affiliated with the Department of ACE – Creative and Cultural Industries and ACE – Film and Journalism. Her work integrates academic teaching with extensive industry experience in theatre, literature, festivals, and libraries, focusing on audience engagement and storytelling within the creative sector.

Research Interests: Eleanor's research centers on the audience experience in the creative industries, artistic value, and innovative approaches to storytelling. She explores how digital technologies and collaborative frameworks shape cultural production and public engagement, particularly in literary and media contexts. Her interdisciplinary work bridges creative practice and academic inquiry.

External Activities and Expertise: Eleanor is an experienced event moderator, having chaired panels at major literary festivals including the Edinburgh International Book Festival, YALC, Cymera Festival, Bath Children's Literature Festival, and Bristol Women’s Literature Festival. She has also contributed as the KnowHow Features Editor for Words & Pictures, the online magazine of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (2019–2021).

Professional Affiliations:

• Member, The Society of Authors
• Member, British Fantasy Society
• Member, Cymera Festival Working Group

Project Leadership: She specializes in project management and multi-partner collaboration, having worked on Creative Europe and Erasmus+ projects (2017–2021), and supported the Creative Europe Desk UK. She currently module leads the Media Production Project on the Media Production degree at UWE.

Grants and Collaborations: Eleanor has collaborated with key cultural organizations such as The British Council, UNESCO Creative Cities, Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature Trust, and Bristol City of Film, supporting creative initiatives for children and young people both nationally and internationally.