Applications Invited for Fully Funded PhD Scholarship in ‘Early Years Performance’

This Galway Doctoral Research Scholarship in Early Years Performance is a collaboration between between Baboró International Arts Festival for Children, Branar Téatar do Pháistí and NUI Galway.

The College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Celtic Studies (CASSCS) at NUI Galway is pleased to offer ONE postgraduate scholarship to support full-time PhD research within the Structured PhD in Drama and Theatre Studies programme, commencing January 2020.

This funded PhD is an opportunity for a doctoral student to explore the area of the impact of live performance on early years children (0 – 6 years) in a national and/or international context working in close partnership with NUI Galway, the Baboró International Arts Festival for Children & Branar Téatar do Pháistí. This research opportunity will follow a Creative Europe funded project, MAPPING, a pan-European project with 18 partners from 17 European countries running from 2018 – 2022, investigating the relationship between performer and early years audiences. The selected candidate will also have an opportunity to follow the work of Branar Téatar do Pháistí in the development of a new work for early years as part of MAPPING project and will be given access to the annual Baboró International Arts Festival for Children and its year-round team.


Prospective research projects must address age group of 0-6 years in order to:

  • Examine international policy and research in area of early years theatre & dance performance
  • Measure the impact/value of performing arts on early years children, in order to advocate for improved funding and support for makers in this area
  • Explore current areas of practice and processes in the creation of performance experiences for early years locally, nationally or internationally
  • Find a language to define, review, describe the value/impact of live performance on early years audience
  • Other suggested area (please name and describe in less than fifteen words)


Candidates may have a background in:

  • Psychology
  • Sociology
  • Children’s Studies
  • Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies
  • Education
  • English

Co-supervision: The student will be co-supervised by Drama and Theatre Studies and Children’s Studies at NUI Galway

NUI Galway, Baboró and Branar encourage applications from researchers with a background in the performing arts, arts-in-education or research on the value of the arts, but this is not a prerequisite. The successful candidate will engage in teaching over the course of their PhD.

About Baboró International Arts Festival for Children

Baboró International Arts Festival for Children is Ireland’s flagship arts festival devoted to children and families, now in its 23rd year. This week-long festival of theatre, dance, puppetry, music, visual arts and workshops takes place in Galway city and county every October. The festival welcomes over 21,000 school children, families and artists each year. Throughout the year Baboró leads programmes that support artists to produce work for younger audiences and equip educators with creative tools for the classroom.

About Branar

Branar Téatar do Pháistí is one of the leading theatre companies making work for children in Ireland. They create beautiful, innovative, high quality productions that inspire children and their families. Branar supports artists to make work for young audiences through tailored programmes of resource sharing and Tiny Show creation. They create opportunities for children to explore their own arts practice in school settings. The company tours extensively nationally and internationally every year. Their work has been presented throughout Ireland, Europe, USA, China and Japan.

About MAPPING

MAPPING is a pan-European project with 18 partners from 17 European countries running from 2018 – 2022. The partnership is composed of theatres, institutions and municipalities who have established a deep relationship with early years audiences over time. The project is enriched by the cooperation with Associated Partners; networks, Universities and researchers that offer their specific know-how in developing this piece of research. MAPPING is the third pan-European project the organisation has partnered on. Baboró is delighted to be collaborating with Branar Téatar do Pháistí and NUI Galway as part of this project.

To discuss relevant topics, please contact Dr. Charlotte McIvor at charlotte.mcivor@nuigalway.ie

Deadline: 5pm, Wednesday, October 16, 2019.

Application and Information Documents:

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