Martin Welton

Professor Martin Welton holds the position of Professor of Theatre and Performance and Deputy Head of the School of English and Drama at Queen Mary University of London. He joined the university in 2002 following his PhD from the University of Surrey and prior work as a performer in experimental dance and theatre.

Education:

• BA (Hons), MPhil (Birmingham)
• PhD (Surrey)

Research Interests: Welton’s work focuses on contemporary theatre and dance, theories of atmosphere, sensory cultures, and intersections between performance and tourism. He collaborates with artists and institutions like Rosemary Lee, Sound&Fury, and Battersea Arts Centre. Notable projects include the ArtsCross network and the £250K Digital Studio for immersive technologies.

Articles and Trends: His publications explore atmospheric aesthetics, choreography, and immersive technologies. Recent work engages with climate in performance and cross-cultural collaborations.

Grants and Awards: Welton secured £59,369 from the AHRC for immersive theatre projects and £250K for the Digital Studio. He has held roles such as Deputy Dean for Research (2020–2023) and Head of Drama (2023–2024).

Supervision and Mentorship: He mentors through the Kings/QMUL/UCL BMentor programme and has examined over 20 PhDs across institutions. His supervision includes projects on affective collectives and phenomenology of sound.

Labs and Collaborations: Leads ArtsCross, a transnational choreographic network, and co-edits the Routledge Handbook of Atmospheres. His Digital Studio supports artists like Alexander Whitley and Seth Kriebel.