Alice Fox

I am Deputy Head of The School of Art at the University of Brighton where I founded and lead the pioneering MA Inclusive Arts Practice. I am Director of the learning-disabled Rocket Artists Studios. I have worked for many years with inclusive performance and visual arts alongside some of the world’s most socially excluded groups, in particular people with learning disabilities and elders. I often work internationally, training NGOs, cultural, health & education sector professionals. I have delivered inclusive arts projects for Tate Exchange, The National Gallery and The British Council in Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea, Vietnam and Nepal.

This work was recognised by winning The Times Higher Education Award for Excellence and Innovation in the Arts 2017.

I'm interested in how particpatory arts practice can combat isolation, prejudice and exclusion by providing meeting points, public platforms and common experience for diverse groups of people.

I'm currently concerned with the following questions;

1. Can group movement work rapidly create understanding and closeness within a newly-acquainted group?
2. Can performative acts in the gallery increase our pleasure and understanding of the artworks by offering us time together to physically interact with the works?
3. What can moving together offer the practice of ‘expanded listening’ both between performers and beyond to the audience?
4. Can group actions of care within vulnerability be synonymous with strength and self-empowerment?
5. Can performing with ephemeral, sensuous material such as ice and ribbon rapidly create understanding and closeness within a newly-acquainted group?

 Research films and images for Alice Fox

Doctoral student supervision and examination

Meaningfully Engaged? Exploring the particpatory arts practices of adults with profound and multiplul learning disabilities (PMLD)  PhD Thesis by Melaneia Warwick completed in 2018

External examiner, Royal Holloway, Janyne Lloyd, PhD thesis title The Role of Reminiscence Arts in the Lives of Care Home Residents Living with Dementia 2016

I am an invited member of The Teaching Excellence Alliance Peer Review College, University Alliance Mission Group.

My work at Brighton involves initiating radical new arts collaborations between university staff and students and local community groups, supporting the University's contribution to social inclusion. In addition, the associated teaching based research has enhanced the quality of education provided to students. The insights from my research informs all my projects including the development of the MA Inclusive Arts Practice.  This course offers the students the opportunity to work with the Rocket Artists and other marginalised groups to develop arts-based research projects. It also offers experiential learning including one module delivered at Tate Exchange, Tate Modern

Alice Fox is interested in finding inclusive teaching strategies and has carried out several pedagogic research projects, such as 'the co-production of the curriculm, Tate Exchange' and 'Overalls'

My work integrates arts research and practice with educational research. I develop meaningful inclusive arts projects between artists and excluded community groups, such as learning-disabled people, elders and womens’ groups. 

In 2003 I founded Rocket Artists Group which consists of fourteen artists; some have learning disabilities, others are lecturers/artists at the University of Brighton. We have been awarded significant funds by the Arts Council and delivered high profile exhibitions and performances at Tate Modern, Southbank Centre, London.

The Rockets and underpinning research and performance work aims to challenge social inequalities and effect positive social and cultural change.

Since 2014 I have been a Trustee for Epic Arts in Cambodia