Jez Collins researches the role of popular music and cultural heritage. He is interested in the role that popular music plays in the manifestation of individual and collective identity formed through individual and collective memory practices, particularly in the online environment.
He is interested in the development of popular music as public history-making and activist archivist disciplines and the new insights these practices are bringing to the cultural, social and political understanding of the role of popular music and place.
As an early stage researcher, Jez works in collaboration with colleagues from the Birmingham Centre for Media and Cultural Research in his projects. He is currently developing a research project about the role of student unions in popular music activity in the post-war period and their relationships with the commercial music sector.
He is also developing his work with Un-Convention to provide deep research material into the global grassroots independent music industries as well as how different communities across the world use popular music as a tool for social change.
He has recently completed a collaborative research project (with Dr Paul Long, Dr Steve Harding and Nina Lakeberg) about the creative industries in Wolverhampton and is co-leading a Leonardo pan-European project (with Dr Paul Long) on the use of Innovative Media and Music Heritage Impacting Vocational Education.
As well as speaking at academic conferences, Jez is often asked to speak about his work at events across the world widening his already extensive networks of individuals, organisations and institutions.
'Mapping the Soundscapes of Popular Music Heritage' in Les Roberts (ed.), Mapping Cultures, Palgrave 2012. (with Dr Paul Long, Birmingham City University).
'The Creative Industries in Wolverhampton: Between Policy and Practice'. A 'Creative District' report for "Creative Metropoles: Public Policies and Instruments in Support of Creative Industries" - co-funded by European Regional Development Fund and INTERREG IVC, 2011 (Co-author author/researcher with Dr Paul Long, Steve Harding and Nina Lakeberg).
For the Encouragement of Learning Copyright 1710-2010, British Council, 2010 (Contributor).
Made In Birmingham: Reggae Punk Bhangra, 2011. Co-Executive Producer. 63 mins documentary. Double commended RTS award winner.
Conferences
'Hip Hop Hope in La Ciudad de la Eterna Primavera' Subcultures, Popular Music and Social Change, London Met, 2011.
Invited panel organiser, Digital Archives and Online Practice. Sites Of Popular Music Heritage. Institute of Popular Music, University of Liverpool, 2011.
'Listening for the sounds of place and memory in popular music'. Transformaciones del Sector Musical Independiente en la Era Digital. Universidad Carlos III Madrid, 2011.
'Birmingham Popular Music Archive, A Case Study' Inaugural Maltese Memory Music Project. University of Hull and Maletese National Archives, Valetta, Malta, 2011.
'From Trousers to Tickets: Finding new spaces and places to exhibit Popular Music Culture' (with Rob Horrocks, Birmingham City University). Curiouser and Curiouser. Challenging Convention and Celebrating the Unusual in Museums and Heritage. University of Leicester, 2011.
'Made in Birmingham: Reggae Punk Bhangra'. Film Heritage, Digital Future: Practice and Sustainability for the Film Archive Sector. Birmingham City University in collaboration with Screen West Midlands, 2011.
'Digital tools for sustainable careers'. International Music Entrepreneurs Forum, British Council, London, 2011.
'Using Online and Social Media - Extending Audiences'; (With Tim Wall and Paul Long, Birmingham City University). Dutch Jazz and World Meeting. Music Center the Netherlands, 2010.
'Listening for the sounds of place and memory in popular music heritage' (with Paul Long, Birmingham City University). Mapping, Memory and the City, University of Liverpool, 2010.
'Why not become an Author and help us build the Archive?' (with Paul Long, Birmingham City University). Mediating Personal and Community Memories in Online Archival Work, Cybercultures: Exploring Issues Online, Interdisciplinrary.Net, Salzberg, March 12-14 2008.
'Tell us what you know, what you think': Birmingham Music Archive, collective memory and the politics of popular music culture' (with Paul Long, Birmingham City University). Journal of Media Practice 10th Anniversary Symposium. Sussex University, 2009.
'Tell us what you know, what you think' What is 'Popular Music Heritage', What is its Purpose and Who is it For? The Birmingham Popular Music Archive Project. IASPM, Liverpool University, 2009.
'Knowledge transfer in the Creative Industries'. Creative Growth, Interregional conference. Napier University, 2009.
