Pauline Muir

Pauline Muir is a Senior Lecturer at the Institute for Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurship (ICCE) at Goldsmiths, University of London. She previously served as Course Director for the BA (Hons) Arts Management/Arts & Festival Management program at London South Bank University for over two decades (2007-2016).

Her educational background includes a PhD in 'Sounds Mega - Musical Discourse in Black Majority Churches,' a BA in Music, a Diploma in Orchestral Studies, a Licentiate qualification from Trinity College London (LTCL), and an MA in Arts Management from City University.

Dr. Muir's research focuses on the intersection of culture, religion, and music, with particular emphasis on Black British Gospel Music, congregational singing in African megachurches, and decolonizing musical practices. Her work explores how Black Majority Churches serve as critical sites for musical development that connect local gospel traditions to global secular music arenas. She examines how worship practices reflect cultural identity, power dynamics, and the transmission of musical knowledge within diasporic communities.

Her recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on Black British Gospel Music as a dynamic cultural practice rooted in the African diaspora experience in Britain. Her scholarship spans historical analysis from the Windrush Generation to contemporary expressions connected to movements like Black Lives Matter, revealing how gospel music functions as both cultural preservation and social commentary.

• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)
• Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA)

Dr. Muir has extensive teaching experience in Arts Management, bringing her research expertise into the classroom to explore the cultural and economic dimensions of creative industries. Her work on decolonizing congregational music contributes to broader conversations about representation, copyright systems, and multicultural worship practices in contemporary religious settings.