Dr Grace Thomas is a Senior Research Fellow in Arts Engagement at Wrexham University and Artistic Director for WordForWord Arts. Her PhD studied how the #MeToo movement intersected with verbatim theatre, leading to a Socially Minded Theatre methodology.
Previously she has led arts engagement projects on invisible disabilities and community trauma. Her current research includes accessibility to the arts for disabled people, engagement with disenfranchised young people through art, and increasing social mobility for those living within economic deprivation.
Research Interests
Community engagement, community arts, verbatim theatre, social inclusion.
Research Projects
| Title |
Role |
Description |
From/To |
| 'Arts Engagement for Disability Groups' |
Lead Researcher |
Investigating the barriers (physical, cultural and economic) that prevent disabled people in Wrexham engage with the arts |
|
Publications
| Year |
Publication |
Type |
| 2025 |
Interweaving Accessibility into Theatre: Working with Disabled Creatives for Disabled Audiences as a Disabled Theatre Maker, The Journal of Consent-Based Performance, 3. [DOI] |
Peer Reviewed Journal |
| 2025 |
Promoting Care and Caregiving in Live Immersive Performance Installations, Theatre Journal , 76. |
Peer Reviewed Journal |
Professional Associations
| Association |
Function |
| Society for Theatre Research |
member |
Employment
| Employer |
Position |
From/To |
| ALRA North |
Visiting lecturer |
01/01/2018 - 04/04/2022 |
| University of Cumbria |
Lecturer in Theatre and Performance |
01/10/2013 - 17/07/2017 |
| Edge Hill University |
PhD candidate and teaching assistant |
19/10/2019 - 01/08/2022 |
| Arden School Of Theatre |
Visiting lecturer |
06/05/2020 - 19/12/2024 |
Education
| Institution |
Qualification |
Subject |
| Edge Hill University |
PhD |
Theatre and Social Sciences |
| UCLAN/Wrexham University |
BA (Hons) |
Performing Arts |
| University of Birmingham |
MPhil (B) |
Playwriting Studies |