Isabelle Gatt is Associate Professor in the Department of Arts, Open Communities and Adult Education, Faculty of Education, University of Malta (UOM), where she has lectured since 1995. She coordinates Drama Education and contributes to programmes in Primary Education and ECEC. Her work focuses on drama pedagogy, applied theatre, creativity and arts-based learning, with a strong commitment to inclusive and participatory approaches.
She graduated from UOM in Theatre Studies and Communications and obtained a PGCE in Drama Education. After her early career as a drama educator, she undertook postgraduate media-production training with RAI in Rome and Milan, working on major television productions including Avanzi, Blob, Enzo Biagi’s Mi Manda Lubrano (RAI 3), L’Albero Azzurro (RAI 1), Giovanni Minoli’s Mixer (RAI 2) and Unomattina (RAI 1). She later worked in international film production and created her own children’s television series, Dinu.
Prof. Gatt was awarded her PhD by the University of Exeter (2007) for her research, Challenging Policy, Changing Practice: Introducing Drama as a Curriculum Innovation. Her research explores applied theatre, drama education, creativity, arts-based research, embodied learning and participatory practice, consistently linking theory with classroom and community realities.
She contributed to European research projects including AMASS (Horizon 2020), CARE (Erasmus+), Creative Little Scientists (FP7) and RIAC, focusing on the role of arts in education, inclusion, wellbeing and community engagement. Within AMASS, she conceived and led F’Ħakka T’Għajn, a participatory theatre project exploring ageing, creativity and social connection.
Prof. Gatt has served as Visiting Professor at the Università degli Studi Suor Orsola Benincasa, Naples, and on the Joint European Master’s in Early Childhood Education and Care (EMEC). She regularly lectures and delivers workshops at institutions including the Royal Conservatoire Antwerp, Exeter, Helsinki, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Strathclyde and Hogeschool Utrecht.
Her work combines research, teaching and creative practice through a practice-based approach to learning. She acted as external examiner for a PhD thesis at the University of Lapland and is currently supervising a PhD candidate.
She served for several years on Arts Council Malta and Spazju Kreattiv.
Dr Isabelle Gatt has participated in a number of international projects and delivered Master classes which link Creativity and Arts as pedagogical innovation:
-2020-2023 A 3-year research Horizon 2020 Research & Innovation Actions research project entitled “Acting on the Margins: Arts as Social Sculpture” with Acronym AMASS as per grant agreement number 870621. Besides co-researching the three socially engaged theatre projects (working with HIV Positive persons, Opening Doors (young persons with mental conditions, and older adults), I have conceived, led a theatre lab with six women who attend the Active Aging Centre (AAC) in Siggiewi. The result was a collectively created theatre performance entitled F’Ħakka T’Għajn which was filmed and is being screened in AACs all over the island and at university followed by a Q&A for students studying Applied theatre.
2020 -2022 A 30-month Erasmus+ KA2 Strategic Partnerships Programme research project entitled “Visual art education in new times: Connecting Art with REal life issues” with Acronym CARE as per grant agreement number 2019-1-CY01-KA203-058258. This entailed delivering online CPD sessions to preservice and Inservice Primary Art teachers in innovative pedagogies in visual art education and sustainable development and researching changes in their classrooms.
- RIAC (Regional Identity and Active Citizenship) Network from Nov 2002 -Dec 2005, an EU COMENIUS -programme (3100297 CP-1-2002-1-AT-COMENIUS-C3). In RIAC questions of different layers of identity and active citizenship (affective, cognitive and pragmatic citizenship) were linked and translated into innovative pedagogical and didactical approaches, tools, materials, courses and curricula, enhancing the European dimension of school education on a regional level. Isabelle was also partner in the research project
- ACTION METHODS IMPROVING MOTIVATION AND QUALITY IN LEARNING SITUATIONS ( 2 Comenius European In-Service training Courses - Malta in October 2006 and May 2007)
-The CREATIVE LITTLE SCIENTISTS (EU 7th Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) no. 289081 CLS brings together creativity,science and mathematics in ECE providing a picture of existing/possible practices and implications. CLS proposes guidelines, curricula and exemplary materials for teacher training in the various European contexts.
