19 October 2026
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Story Siqhamo Hlubi Jama
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Photo Supplied
.jpg?sfvrsn=49fcca20_1 "dylan-whale-bone-portrait_orig (1)")
Dr Dylan McGarry, educational sociologist, ecologist, and artist, will join the University of the Free State's International Institute of the Arts as Artist-in-Residence from November 2026, contributing to artistic research, creative innovation, and transdisciplinary collaboration.
Can artistic practice help societies navigate some of their most complex social and environmental challenges?
The University of the Free State's
International Institute of the Arts believes it can. The institute has announced the appointment of
Dr Dylan McGarry as its newest Artist-in-Residence from November 2026, bringing an internationally recognised scholar, artist, and environmental practitioner into the University's growing artistic research ecosystem.
An educational sociologist, ecologist, and artist, Dr Dylan McGarry has built a career exploring how creativity can support social learning, inclusive decision-making, and more just relationships between people and the natural environment. His appointment strengthens the International Institute of the Arts' commitment to positioning artistic practice as a vital form of knowledge production and interdisciplinary collaboration.
As Senior Researcher in Rhodes University's Environmental Learning Research Centre and co-director of the international
One Ocean Hub initiative, Dr McGarry bridges disciplines that are not often brought together. Across projects involving law, marine science, sociology, anthropology, economics, history, and the arts, he has helped develop new approaches to addressing environmental and social challenges.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies, Prof Vasu Reddy, reflected on the significance of the appointment, saying: “The most profound breakthroughs of the future may emerge not only from laboratories, but also from the creative spaces where imagination, enquiry, and public purpose meet. Dr Dylan McGarry’s appointment embodies this possibility. At the University of the Free State, we believe that creativity is not an accessory to knowledge production. It is one of its most transformative forms. This residency reflects the power of transdisciplinary collaboration and strengthens our commitment to research that matters to people and planetary health.”
Building knowledge through creative collaboration
A defining feature of Dr McGarry's work is his commitment to collaborative knowledge creation. As co-founder and co-director of
Empatheatre, he has pioneered creative approaches that use theatre, storytelling, and participatory artistic practice to address complex social and environmental issues. Through these projects, community knowledge and lived experience are brought into conversation with academic research and public decision-making.
His work has earned national and international recognition. Empatheatre's acclaimed production,
Lalela uLwandle, received the Durban University of Technology Vice-Chancellor's Award for Community Engagement. At the same time, the company was awarded the 2023 Fleur du Cap Theatre Award for Innovation in Theatre.
The residency aligns closely with the International Institute of the Arts' vision of creating spaces where artists, researchers, students, and communities can collaborate on questions that cross conventional disciplinary boundaries.
Advancing artistic research at the University
The Artist-in-Residence Programme has become an important platform for fostering creative innovation, scholarly engagement, and public dialogue at the University of the Free State.
Through residencies, artists are given opportunities to develop new work, collaborate with academics and students, and contribute to broader conversations around research, teaching, and cultural practice. Previous residencies have generated artistic productions, research collaborations, community storytelling projects, public lectures, and postgraduate engagement opportunities.
These initiatives demonstrate how artistic practice can enrich both scholarship and society while supporting the University's commitment to Responsible Societal Futures.
Dr McGarry's experience in combining artistic creation, participatory research, and ecological thinking is expected to expand the programme's reach and impact further.
Creating new conversations about environmental justice
Much of Dr McGarry's research explores the intersections of art, heritage, education, law, and justice, with particular emphasis on indigenous knowledge systems, ocean heritage, and environmental responsibility.
His work demonstrates how creative methods can make complex issues more accessible, challenge assumptions about whose knowledge is valued, and open new forms of dialogue between universities and society.
For the International Institute of the Arts, these themes align with a broader vision to strengthen transdisciplinary engagement and develop postgraduate opportunities that integrate creative practice with scholarly research.
Reflecting on the appointment,
Prof Alexander Johnson, Director of the International Institute of the Arts, emphasised the significance of the residency.
"Dr Dylan McGarry's appointment offers an exciting opportunity to deepen the relationship between artistic practice, research, and public engagement at the University of the Free State," he notes.
"His work demonstrates how the arts can open up new ways of understanding complex social and ecological questions, while bringing different forms of knowledge and experience into meaningful conversation."
According to Prof Alexander Johnson, the residency speaks directly to the institute's commitment to transdisciplinary collaboration and to recognising artistic practice as a powerful means of generating knowledge, fostering dialogue, and building partnerships.
The appointment also strengthens the University's growing position as a centre for artistic research and international exchange, connecting local experiences and priorities with wider global conversations. Through support from the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust and collaboration across academic and cultural sectors, the residency programme continues to expand opportunities for creative excellence, research innovation, and societal impact.