Philip Kennedy

Philip Kennedy is a Lecturer and Programme Leader of the BA (Hons) Illustration programme at NCAD. His practice spans illustration, education, and writing, with a focus on the intersections between these disciplines.

He holds an MA in Illustration from Kingston University, London, and is an active member of the illustration education community. He serves on the committee of GLADHE (The Group for Learning in Art and Design in Higher Education), a grassroots network advocating for art and design educators and students. He is also a member of Illustration Educators, where he sits on the advisory committee, contributing to the communal development of illustration practice and education.

Philip has been a Lecturer in NCAD’s Department of Communication Design since 2017 and has led the BA Illustration programme since 2021. He has presented at international conferences such as ELIA Academy and the Illustration Research Symposium, presenting on topics that have included technology, history, and community within art and design education.

His practice as an illustrator and image-maker focuses on cultural work, collaborating with clients such as Macmillan Publishers, the Chester Beatty, and the National Gallery of Ireland. In recent years, he has explored the role of image-making within the context of children's theatre.

He is the founder of Illustration Chronicles, an ongoing web project that explores the rich history of illustration through stories of its key figures, places, and events. This work reflects his commitment to championing the value and cultural importance of illustration in an engaging and accessible way.

In 2021, he published The Bird: The Great Age of Avian Illustration (Laurence King, 2021 [ENG]; BLUME, 2021 [ESP]), a book examining eighteenth- and nineteenth-century ornithological illustration and its role as a research tool in the development of ornithology.

Previously, he has been a visiting lecturer in NCAD’s Fine Art Department and served as a Board Member of the NCAD Gallery. He has received several awards, including the Arts Council Professional Development Award and the EU Travel Bursary Award, and was selected for Dublin City Council Arts Office's Panel of Artists (2017).

At NCAD, he is committed to developing and expanding the teaching of illustration, with a strong emphasis on curriculum innovation, research, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

https://philipkennedy.net/

https://illustrationchronicles.com/