My work
I work with drawing and moving image in a playful experimental process, responding to place and trying to make sense of lived experience of the body, perimenopause, parenting, family histories and the urban wild.
In recent years my practice has transitioned from animation and documentary, towards processes and outcomes which are more mysterious and more deeply connected with nature, where figures and places intertwine.
I explore the world by making observational drawings: a quick route into a flow state, turning off the rational part of my brain. From this place other things emerge: I cut drawings free from the paper so that figures can escape from their origins and become part of a new story. I manipulate archive material so that new interpretations can emerge.
I’m interested to hear voices that don’t get space in mainstream media. My work is motivated by trying to understand how we live now, and why we are as we are.
Bio
My film work has won multiple awards, and been screened at more than 30 festivals including Annecy, Krok, Stuttgart & Anima Mundi. Residencies include MuseumsQuartier Vienna and the National Media Museum, Bradford. My work has been exhibited at Freud Museum, Vienna, on the Biennale circuit, Venice and at Parasol Unit, London.
I’m a graduate of MA Animation at the Royal College of Art. With a background in animated documentary, I’ve worked as a freelance animation director, including commissions for broadcast television and national charities.
I co-founded AnimatedDocumentary.com, with Ellie Land, an online resource featuring films, news and events from the non-fiction animation community.
I am passionate about supporting artists and advocating for the value of their work, and my freelance work supports creative people of all kinds. From 2022-2025 I am one of 15 members of the Artist Council for a-n: the UK’s professional membership organisation for artists.
I ran the Artist Development programme at ‘a space’ arts, providing support to visual artists.
I have worked in education roles, teaching at Central St. Martin’s, Camberwell (both University of the Arts London) Arts University Bournemouth, BAFTA and BBC, among others. For further details of my experience, see LinkedIN.
CV: Alys Scott-Hawkins
Awards
New Media Prize, Southampton City Art Gallery, U.K. 2022
Research Fellowship, Arts University Bournemouth, U.K. 2017
Best Film, Compass of Desire Festival, Bristol, U.K. 2009
Synchro Film Award (€1500), Tricky Women Animation Festival, Vienna, Austria 2003
Second Prize, Experimental (€1500) Eurovideo, Malaga, Spain 2003
Best Experimental Film, BAF! 2000, Bradford Animation Festival, National Museum of
Photography, Film & Television, Bradford, U.K. 2000
Special Commendation, Royal Television Society, Newcastle upon Tyne, U.K. 1999
Qualifications
Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice, University of Southampton, 2018
MA Animation, Royal College of Art, London 2002
BA (Hons) Media Production, University of Northumbria, Newcastle 1999
National Diploma Foundation Studies in Art & Design, Winchester School of Art 1995
Residencies
Artist Pop-up, John Hansard Gallery, Southampton, U.K. March 2024
Artist-in-residence, Tudor Revels heritage engagement project, Southampton, U.K. 2011-2012
Artist-in-residence, financial services firm BDO, Southampton, U.K. Feb-Sep 2008
Animator-in-Residence, National Museum of Photography, Film & Television (now National Media Museum), Bradford, U.K. Aug-Oct 2004
Artist-in-residence, MuseumsQuartier, Vienna, Austria Mar-Apr 2004
Selected Exhibitions
The Long View(s) group show, Beaulieu Estate, U.K. Sep 2024 Summer Camp group show, Eastside Projects, Birmingham, U.K. Sep 2024 Art in the Garden group show, Little Forest, Hampshire, May 2024
Summer Camp group show, Eastside Projects, Birmingham, U.K. Aug 2023
Our Changing Landscape, group show, SPUDworks, Sway, New Forest, U.K. Dec 2022
I AM TOO HOT, solo show, Arches Studios, Southampton, U.K. Nov 2022
Open Exhibition, group show, Southampton City Art Gallery, U.K. Jul-Aug 2022
I Didn’t Lick It: Bruton Correspondence School, group show, Bruton Museum, Somerset, U.K. Jul – Sep 2021
Now I Am Always Here solo show, Butcher’s Hook, Southampton U.K. Nov 2019 – Nov 2020
Ruth Borchard Self Portrait Prize group show, Piano Nobile Gallery at King’s Place,
London U.K. May 2019
Mark / Shift / Loop drawing performance, Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton, U.K. Jun 2018
Elephant group show, Paris College of Art, France Nov 2017
FIND ME group show, Spazio Kanz, (Biennale circuit) Venice, Italy Oct 2017
Responses group show, British Art Show Fringe, Southampton, U.K. Nov 2016
Lighten Up 2 drawing performance, British Art Show Fringe, Southampton, U.K. Oct 2016
Pub Wall solo show, K6 Gallery ROAM arts trail, Southampton, U.K. Jul-Aug 2016
Right Here: the City as Muse group show, Showcase Gallery, Southampton, U.K. Mar 2015
Playback group show, Peacock Arts, London, U.K. Jul 2013
Drawn Together, Drawn Apart drawing performance, Southampton City Art Gallery, U.K. Jan 2013
Animated Drawing group show, Parasol Unit, London, U.K. May 2012
Selected Screenings
Southampton Film Week Shorts, U.K. Nov 2024 • Université Laval: Art et science de l’animation, Quebec, Canada Mar 2024 Academy of Media Arts, Köln, Germany Apr 2024 • Animated Women: augmented reality self-portraits, Animateka Festival, online, Ljubljana, Slovenia Nov 2020 • Formosa Salon, School of Oriental & African Studies, London, U.K. Sep 2019 • Experimental & Expanded Animation conference, UCA Farnham, U.K. Feb 2019 • London International Animation Festival Barbican Cinema, London, U.K. Dec 2018 • Lying Belly, 51% Remember Her, Elements Gallery, London U.K. Mar 2017 • Körper & Sexualität, Freud Museum Vienna, Austria Dec 2015 • International Women’s Film Festival Seoul, Korea, Apr 2011 • Frauen Film Festival Dortmund & Cologne, Germany April 2010 • Paper Bag, Brighton, U.K. Mar 2009 • The Golden Elephant International Film Festival of India, Hyderabad, India Nov 2007 • Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival Walhalla MI, U.S.A. Aug 2007 • Annecy International Animated Film Festival France Jun 2007 • Rencontres Internationales Paris, France Nov 2006 & Madrid, Spain Apr 2007 • Cinewomen New York, U.S.A. Feb 2007 • Resfest Vienna, Austria Jan 2007 • Berlinale Talent Campus Berlin, Germany, Feb 2006 • Exposures Film Festival Cornerhouse, Manchester, U.K. Dec 2005 • Channel 4 Television broadcast 7.55pm Wednesday 9th Nov 2005 • International Women’s Film Festival Rehovot, Israel Sep 2005 • Uppsala International Short Film Festival Sweden Oct 2004 • Women in the Director’s Chair International Film Festival Chicago, U.S.A. Mar 2004 • Santa Fe Film Festival U.S.A. Dec 2003 • Krok Animation Festival Kiev-Sebastopol, Sep 2003 • Anima Mundi Rio de Janeiro & Sao Paolo, Brazil Jul 2003 • Stuttgart Animation Festival Germany Oct 2002 • Kinofilm 99 International Short Film Festival, Manchester, U.K. Jul 1999
Grants
a-n The Artists Information Company, artist bursary (£1470) 2021
Arts Council England Developing Your Creative Practice grant, (£10 000) 2021
AAA Artist bursary, Aspex Gallery (£250) 2021
a-n The Artists Information Company, coaching bursary 2019
‘a space’ arts, Talent Development bursary (£1500) 2014
ViViD Network / EU Interreg Programme ‘2 Seas’ (£8000) 2013
Channel 4 Television / Arts Council animator-in-residence commission (£40 000) 2004
Publications
The Lockdown Lowdown issue 3, work featured in zine, Graphic Connections 2021
Drawing to Feel Good, work featured in book, Drawing is Free 2020
Artist of the Month, interview and work featured on website and newsletter, Visual Arts South West U.K. 2019
Animation: Practice, Process & Production, peer-reviewed journal article, Intellect 2019
Animation in Context, interview, Mark Collington, Bloomsbury, 2016
Fundamentals of Animation (2nd edition), interview, Paul Wells and Samantha Moore,
Bloomsbury, 2016
Instructions for a Drawing Class, work featured in book, Paris College of Art 2012
Animating the Unconscious: Desire, Sexuality and Animation, book chapter, ed. Jayne Pilling, Columbia University Press, 2012
Tricky Women_Animations Film Kunst von Frauen, work featured in book, eds. Birgitt Wagner & Waltraud Grausgruber, Shuren Verlag, 2011
Sexuality & Desire: Animating the Unconscious, works featured on DVD, ed. Jayne Pilling, British Animation Awards, 2007
100 Artists-in-Residence, work featured in book, eds. Linda Klosel & Claudia Gasteiger, MQW, Austria 2007
Consultancy
Artist Council member, a-n: The Artists Information Company, 2022-2025
Advisory panel member, and annually delivering advice sessions to 25+ creative professionals, Isle of Wight Creative Network, 2022 – current
Artist Support specialist, freelance, 2021 – current
Trustee, film education charity City Eye 2014 – 2021
External expert, professorial recruitment board, Stockholm University of the Arts 2018
Faculty representative, TheGallery strategic board, Arts University Bournemouth 2015-2018
External examiner, validation board, Canterbury Christ Church University 2016
Invited member, advocacy board, Animation Alliance U.K. 2016 – current
Employment
Visiting Lecturer, BM Medicine, University of Southampton, 2024
Visiting Academic, University of Southampton Jul 2021 – current
Visiting Tutor, Arts University Bournemouth Mar 2019 – current
Artist Development Officer, ‘a space’ arts, Southampton 2018-2021
Guest Lecturer, King’s College London, 2020 & 2021
Senior Lecturer, BA (Hons and MA Animation Production, Arts University Bournemouth 2015-2018
Associate Lecturer, BA (Hons) Fine Art, Southampton Solent University 2008-2014
Visiting Lecturer, BM Medicine, University of Southampton, 2013-2014
Visiting Lecturer, BA (Hons) Fine Art, Drawing, Illustration & Graphic Design, Camberwell College of Art, University of the Arts, London 2006-2007
Visiting Lecturer, BA (Hons) Media Production, University of Northumbria, Newcastle 2006
Studio Tutor, Foundation Studies in Art & Design, Central St. Martins College of Art & Design,
University of the Arts, London 2004-2006
Visiting Tutor, Foundation Studies in Art & Design, Arts Institute Bournemouth 2005-2006
Visiting Lecturer, Foundation Studies in Art & Design, Kent Institute of Art & Design 2001-2005
Graduate Fellow, Faculty of Visual & Performing Arts, University of Northumbria,
Newcastle 1999-2000
Presentations / Conferences
Society for Animation Studies, conference paper, online Jun 2023
Artist talk with curator Vickie Fear, online, Aug 2022
British Association for Film television and Screen Studies, Practitioner Roundtable: Embodiment – women film-makers and the pandemic, online Apr 2021
Animate Projects / British Council Film, panel chair, online Nov 2020
Artist Voices: How Do Artists Sell Their Work?, panel chair, ‘a space’ arts, Southampton Apr 2019
Cultural City conference, mini-keynote Solent University, U.K. Jun 2019
Society for Animation Studies, conference paper, Lisbon, Portugal Jun 2019
Winchester School of Art BA & MA Fine Art, guest lecture, U.K. Oct 2018
London International Animation Festival, panel guest, Barbican Cinema, London, U.K. Dec 2017
Documentary Illustrationconference, presentation, UCA Farnham, U.K. Nov 2017
Society for Animation Studies, conference paper, Padua, Italy Jul 2017
Open City Documentary Festival, panel chair, London, U.K. Jun 2016
Society for Animation Studies, conference paper, Canterbury, U.K. Jul 2015
AHRC Creative Economy Showcase, presenting short film & panel guest, London, U.K. Mar 2014
Sexuality at Home conference, curated film programme, University College London, U.K. Dec 2012
DOK Leipzig Film Festival, panel guest, Germany, October 2011
Exposures Film Festival, jury member, Cornerhouse, Manchester, U.K. December 2005
Gender/Film/Language panel guest, MuseumsQuartier, Vienna, Austria May 2004
Wienerkunstschule, presentation and Q&A, Vienna, Austria Mar 2004
Birds Eye View Festival, interviewed by Meera Syal on stage at National Film Theatre, London,
U.K. Nov 2003 & by Miranda Sawyer on stage at Cornerhouse, Manchester U.K. Dec 2003
Alys Scott-Hawkins 