Robert Walton (Aus/UK) is a conceptual, media and performance artist whose work includes theatre, choreography, installation, writing and interactive art. He trained in theatre at Dartington College of Arts (England) and as a technologist in The University of Glasgow’s Master of Science in Information Technology (Software and Systems) programme.
His PhD from the University of Melbourne explored the creative use of mobile computing in performance events.
Before moving to Australia Robert co-founded two experimental art organisations in Scotland: Reader Performance Group and Fish & Game. These companies enabled Robert to create a wide range of experimental theatre, installation, immersive, interactive and site-specific performance works created with long-term collaborator Ivor MacAskill that toured Scotland, UK, Europe and to Australia. ‘Alma Mater’, their final work together, was credited as “the world’s first piece of iPad theatre” (The Independent, UK). Robert moved to Australia in 2011 to join the Theatre Department at the Victorian College of Arts, University of Melbourne.
Robert curated the Australian dance and performance works for Culture 2014, The XX Commonwealth Games (Glasgow). He created Vanitas, nominated for best Art and Experimental Mobile App at the 2018 Webby Awards and two 2019 Greenroom Awards. In 2018 Robert was the inaugural Australia Council Artist in Residence at Blast Theory (UK). In 2019 he was commissioned by the City of Chicago to create Exhuming Johnny for the Goat Island Archive and the Year of Chicago Theatre.
In 2020 Robert is Resident Artist at the School of Computing and Information Systems, University of Melbourne working on projects that combine performance, computing and data for Arts Centre Melbourne and Melbourne Connect. www.robertwalton.net
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Honours, Awards and Fellowships
Green Room Award - Nomination - Innovation in Site Responsive Performance - Vanitas
Green Room Award - Nomination - Best Production - Vanitas
Commissioned Artist for The Goat Island Archive and Chicago Year of Theater
Jackman Goldwasser Resident Artist
The Webby Award - Nomination - Art & Experimental Mobile Sites & Apps - Vanitas
Feasibility Study Funding - Child of Now - Arts Centre Melbourne
PVI Collective and Blast Theory International Residency
Excellence in Teaching Award 2018 - Victorian College of Arts
Positive Champion Award - Received on behalf of The Victorian College of the Arts
Regional Training and Engagement Fund - FRISK: Festival of New Work (Natimuk)
Dean's Discretionary Fund - Delegation of students & staff to attend UNESCO International Theatre Institute Asia-Pacific Bureau of Drama Schools
Regional Training and Engagement Fund - FRISK: Festival of New Work (Natimuk and Benalla)
Digital Theatre Fund with Arts House Melbourne
Special Project Funding - ENUF is Enough project in collaboration with Living Positive Victoria
Regional Training and Engagement Fund - ‘Three Performances of Community’ project in partnership with Centre for Cultural Partnerships
Conference and Creative Research Activity Fund
Made in Scotland - Curated Edinburgh Festivals Showcase Fund
National Touring Fund
Seed Funding
SURGE! Commission
Creative Lab Residency 2005 (year long)
Creative Lab Residency 2004 (year long)
Dark Lights Commission
FHEA - Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK)
Credentials
Positions
Lecturer In Theatre (Acting)
Victorian College Of The Arts
Curator, Hot: New Dance And Performance From Australia
Culture 2014 for The XX Commonwealth Games, Glasgow
Fellow
Higher Education Academy
Co-Founder And Artistic Director
Fish & Game
Co-Founder And Artistic Director
Reader Performance Group
Education
Doctor of Philosophy
University of Melbourne
Teaching and Learning in Higher Arts Education
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Master of Science Information Technology
The University of Glasgow
Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Theatre
Dartington College of Arts