Sean Crowley, IPS mentor and good friend, Receives the Golden Pin Award at WSD 2025

Sean Crowley, Director of Drama and Head of Design for Performance at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, has been awarded the prestigious Golden Pin Award for Lifetime Achievement in Stage Design by OISTAT International during the WSD Sharjah 2025.

photo credit @WSD 2025

He is a leading figure in British and international theatre design, who has dedicated over 25 years to teaching and developing the Design for Performance programme at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. His commitment to accessibility and to an “art school training” approach within a conservatoire environment has helped shape generations of designers. Moreover, Sean has also played a significant role within OISTAT, actively supporting international collaboration, artistic exchange, and educational initiatives. Among his many contributions, he served as Director of World Stage Design 2013, hosted by the Royal Welsh College in Cardiff, transforming the event into an important platform for dialogue and interdisciplinary exchange; and most recently, he coordinated the International Volunteer Programme for WSD 2025, continuing his long-standing engagement with OISTAT’s educational and international initiatives.

photo credit @WSD 2025

We know and love Sean for all these and many more, including his role as a mentor for IPS 2024 - Myths & Algorithms and IPS 2025 - Face to Face. Who is the Other?

photo credit @Kelemen Kinga

P.S.: Here's a little secret - make sure to follow us so you can be the first to find out if Sean will be returning as a mentor for IPS 2026 as well!