DDCA Mentorship Program

The DDCA champions the effective leadership of teaching and research in our disciplines—enhancing understanding, promoting diversity, inclusion, excellence, collegiality and sustainability.

In recent years creative arts leadership in higher education has been reshaped by departmental mergers, and the consolidation of creative practice teaching and research within broader disciplinary groupings—often led by academics from outside the creative arts. This has created a need for creative practice researchers to appropriately brief decision makers at Faculty and School level on the value and impact of the creative disciplines, and on the specific needs of our community.

The DDCA is committed to supporting its membership and the growth of our disciplines through creating the conditions for effective mentorship and collaboration as a route to support these changes. One of the ways in which we do this is through our Mentorship Program, which seeks to connect mentors and mentees for a mutually valuable experience. 

Our intention is to ensure that creative arts leaders are supported to develop the leadership skills and networks essential to be the stewards of their disciplines and, subsequently, to access senior leadership positions more broadly. 

This program is open to creative practice educators and researchers associated with one of our member institutions. Early and mid-career academics are welcome to apply to be supported by an experienced creative practice researcher in any of the disciplines represented by the DDCA. 

Our priority is to meet the needs and expectations of both the mentee and mentor. If we don’t have a mentor listed in our database that matches the mentee-applicant’s needs, we will do our best to find an appropriate expert. We may, however, be unable to make an appropriate match in some instances. 

Application and Selection Process