Professor Azadeh Fatehrad

Azadeh is the institutional lead for the UPEN Programmes ‘Place’ area of work and Professor of Art and Public Policy at Teesside University, where she also co-direct the Institute for Collective Place Leadership.

Azadeh’s expertise lies in cultural regeneration, social cohesion, and participatory research methods that centre community voices in shaping policy and place-based change. She work closely with local partners including Darlington and Stockton Borough Councils, the Darlington Economic Campus, and the Tees Valley Combined Authority, building bridges between academic research, policy priorities, and community needs.

Azadeh is open to connecting with members, partners and external organisations interested in creative and participatory approaches to regeneration, integration, and social impact, or in developing evaluation tools for place-based initiatives.