New Head of Visual Communication Announced

Currently the Programme Director of Graphic Design at Camberwell, Chelsea & Wimbledon College of Art , Tracey will begin her role at the RCA in April. Bringing nearly 20 years’ experience, Tracey succeeds Dr Rathna Ramanathan, who is now the RCA’s Dean of the School of Communication.

Professor Naren Barfield, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost of the RCA, said: ‘I am delighted that Tracey Waller will be joining the RCA as our new Head of Visual Communication. Tracey has a strong track record in teaching, educational development and leadership. She will shape the direction for the Programme at a particularly exciting time for the School of Communication, with renewed vision, relevance and independence that questions how, why and in what forms we communicate.'

'The selection panel was impressed with Tracey’s commitment to creativity, collaboration, and clear direction. We’re confident that she will inspire a new generation of students through innovative learning and teaching, linked to an expanding portfolio of research opportunities and projects with real-world significance and impact, undertaken with our researchers and industry partners.'

Dean of the School of Communication, Dr Rathna Ramanathan, said: 'Tracey has the perfect mix of qualities for a Head of Programme; she is fearless, resolute and fiercely intelligent. She is an accomplished, innovative and collaborative educator with considerable academic experience.

'Visual Communication at the RCA has a long history and vision that has radically examined the place and importance of visual communication in relation to culture and society. Tracey’s ambitious vision for the programme is compelling in its aim to future proof this legacy and to transform the discipline both in terms of its vocational positioning and intellectual relevance.'

Tracey Waller said: 'I'm thrilled to lead the RCA’s Visual Communication Programme, known for its reputation and continued pushing of boundaries. Visual communication mirrors our cultural and social values, challenges and aspirations to offer new insights. It plays a pivotal role in creating dialogues that are inclusive of all voices, that can disrupt but also innovate narratives that prompt us to rethink our economic, social and political systems both locally and globally. As a former RCA student, I’m excited to return and work with the next generation of talent.'