Hilary Tapper

Hilary Tapper is a Lecturer in the Digital Screen department within the Faculty of Arts at the University of Canterbury, appointed in July 2023.

Her academic qualifications include:

• Master of Arts in Arts Therapy (Clinical) from Whitecliffe College of Arts and Design, Auckland, New Zealand (2018-2020)
• Bachelor of Arts in Vaishnava Hindu Theology and Religious Studies from the University of Chester, United Kingdom (2011-2013)

Dr. Tapper's research integrates Arts Therapy with Digital Animation, focusing on how creative processes in character design and animation facilitate therapeutic self-exploration. Her work examines the confluence of clinical arts therapy methodologies and digital media production, particularly investigating poiesis (the act of creation) as a pathway for personal growth and healing.

Her scholarly output centers on a 2021 publication in the Journal of Creative Arts Therapies that analyzes therapeutic applications of creative expression, highlighting how digital arts expand intervention possibilities in clinical settings. This reflects her interdisciplinary approach bridging artistic practice and psychological well-being.

In teaching, she delivers Character Design (PROD241) and Foundations of Animation (DISC241), developing student competencies in digital art creation, narrative development, and technical animation skills through structured coursework.