Jacqueline Butler

Jacqueline Butler is Associate Professor in Fine Art and serves as Dean and Head of the School of Arts at the University of the West of England, part of the College of Arts, Technology and Environment. She is a member of ACE – Creative and Cultural Industries and contributes significantly to academic leadership, research, and teaching in arts practice.

Her research centers on photography, digital video, artist books, and writing, with a focus on archives and hybrid forms. She explores the evolving nature of photography in the 21st century, merging pre-photographic principles with traditional and digital print technologies. As a founding member of the Family Ties Network, she engages with themes of memory, place, and family narrative through collaborative exhibitions and publications.

Jacqueline completed her PhD at the Glasgow School of Art in 2021, titled The Photograph as Haptic and Virtual Object: Realms of Ephemeral Sensation and Material Objecthood, which investigates the material and virtual dimensions of photographic media. She regularly presents her research at international conferences in cities such as Stuttgart, Edinburgh, and Cork, advocating for innovative pedagogies in art education.

Her leadership is guided by a commitment to inclusivity, equity, and access in higher education, drawing from her experience as a first-generation university graduate. She actively works to challenge exclusion and support diverse communities within the arts.

• Fellow of Advance HE
• Trustee, Council for Higher Education in Art & Design (CHEAD) since March 2023

Jacqueline supervises research students and leads institutional partnerships across the creative and cultural sectors. She is involved in expanding regional, national, and international collaborations to enhance student experience and graduate outcomes. Her work bridges artistic practice, academic research, and educational leadership.

She is a key figure in promoting practice-based research and has contributed to executive, advisory, and gallery boards, influencing policy and innovation in art and design education. Her current projects continue to interrogate the impact of digital technology on artistic creativity and pedagogy.