Dr Pamela Barnes
Programme Leader for BA Acting
Pamela is an academic and creative practitioner for stage and screen with speciality subjects in directing, applied theatre and actor training.
Pamela supports her teaching and research as a producer, director and acting practitioner. She won the BAFTA Scotland New Talent award in 2013 and has gone on to continue working in the creative industries whilst running her own production company which develops work for both theatre and film.
Her research has centred round the use of the performing arts for stage and screen as a tool for community engagement and alongside her research and practice in acting for screen.
Pamela was born in Manchester and moved up to live in Scotland for twenty years, before moving back to the North West of England. Pamela has worked professionally as a producer, artistic director, applied arts practitioner and acting practitioner.
She has worked with numerous independence production companies developing work for stage and screen and also with actors to develop their acting skills who have gone on to work in the West End and television.
It is also very important to Pamela to give back to communities which is why she has also facilitated many community arts projects where she has worked with a diverse range of groups and collaborated with a range of inter-disciplinary professionals.
Pamela has a vast knowledge and experience of practice as research working as both director and curator within numerous performance projects including multi discipline performance projects utilising various performing arts methods such as theatre, film, and exhibition work as well as art, music and dance projects.
Memberships and Associations:
British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA)
Theatre and Performance Research Association (TAPRA)
British Association of Film, Television and Screen Studies (BAFTSS)
Pamela has taught across a range of academic disciplines including acting, musical theatre and filmmaking. Her teaching expertise lies in performance practice, critical studies, directing and actor training.
Pamela has delivered on many modules across the performing arts disciplines at the University of Chester. Taught modules have included:
- Acting for Camera
- Advanced Acting Techniques for Camera
- Developing Professional Practice
- Dissertation
- Enhancing your Employability through Work Based Learning
- Final Drama Production
- Introduction to Drama and Theatre Studies
- Introduction to the Study of Performance
- Negotiated Studies (Single and Double)
- Performance and Technology
- Showcase
- Theoretical Studies
Project Supervision
Pamela welcomes enquiries on a range of topics including:
- Acting for Stage/Screen
- Applied Practices
- Community Arts
- Community Engagement and Policy
- Directing for Stage/Screen
- Film Studies
- Interdisciplinary Collaboration in the Arts
- Professional Development in the Arts
- Theatre Studies
Pamela’s research focuses on performance, community engagement and policy alongside her research in acting for screen.
She has developed projects through practice as research to investigate how performance could break barriers and develop community engagement in heritage sites alongside her current research on acting for screen. Her research has generated original performance pieces, engagement strategies and training which have been realised through actor development and theatrical, film and exhibition performances.
2019 – ‘Performing the Museum: Co-creating, Co-producing and Communication’ Research and Knowledge Transfer Festival. University of Chester.
Barnes, P., & McPherson, G. (2019). Co‐Creating, Co‐producing and Connecting: Museum Practice Today. Curator: The Museum Journal, 62(2), 257-267
2015 ‘Staging the Museum: Strategies of performance and community engagement in cultural heritage sites’ Research Conference. University of the West of Scotland.Pamela’s research focused on performance, community engagement and policy. She has developed projects through practice as research to investigate how performance could break barriers and develop community engagement in heritage sites. Her research generated original performance pieces including theatrical, film and exhibition performances.
2014 ‘Staging the Museum: Strategies of performance and community engagement in cultural heritage sites’ Leisure Studies Association Conference. University of the West of Scotland.
2013 ‘Staging the Museum’ The Hybrid Museum Conference. University of Copenhagen.
2012 ‘Staging the Museum – Applying Practice as Research’ Process and Outcomes, Paths and Products. Practice as Research Symposium. University of Glasgow.
Pamela’s research focused on performance, community engagement and policy. She has developed projects through practice as research to investigate how performance could break barriers and develop community engagement in heritage sites. Her research generated original performance pieces including theatrical, film and exhibition performances.
Barnes, P., & McPherson, G. (2019). Co‐Creating, Co‐producing and Connecting: Museum Practice Today. Curator: The Museum Journal, 62(2), 257-267
2012 ‘Staging the Museum – Applying Practice as Research’ Process and Outcomes, Paths and Products. Practice as Research Symposium. University of Glasgow.
2013 ‘Staging the Museum – Creating in the Community’ Imagine Possibilities Conference. University of the West of Scotland.
2013 ‘Staging the Museum’ The Hybrid Museum Conference. University of Copenhagen.
2014 ‘Staging the Museum: Strategies of performance and community engagement in cultural heritage sites’ Leisure Studies Association Conference. University of the West of Scotland.
2015 ‘Staging the Museum: Strategies of performance and community engagement in cultural heritage sites’ Research Conference. University of the West of Scotland.
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).
- PhD - University of the West of Scotland
- PG Creative Media Practice - University of the West of Scotland
- PG Research Methods - University of the West of Scotland
- Advanced TQFE - University of Portsmouth
- TQFE - University of Portsmouth
- First Class BA (Hons) Performance – University of the West of Scotland