Rita L. Irwin is a Professor of Art Education and Curriculum Studies, and Associate Dean of Teacher Education, at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Rita has been an educational leader for a number of provincial, national and international organizations including being President of the Canadian Society for the Study of Education, the Canadian Association of Curriculum Studies and the Canadian Society for Education through Art.  

She is the current President of the International Society for Education through Art and is on the Presidential Council of the World Alliance for Arts Education. Her research interests have spanned in-service art education, teacher education, socio-cultural issues, and curriculum practices across K-12 and informal learning settings.

Rita is a prolific scholar and a passionate artist who is perhaps best known for her work in a/r/tography.  Her most recent co-edited books include Curriculum in a New Key: The Collected Works of Ted T. Aoki (co-edited with William F. Pinar), Revisions:  Readings in Canadian Art Teacher Education (co-edited with Kit Grauer and Mike Emme), and Being with A/r/tography (co-edited with Stephanie Springgay, Carl Leggo and Peter Gouzouasis).

Rita is an artist, researcher, and teacher deeply committed to the arts and education. In recognition of her many accomplishments and commitments, she has received many awards for her teaching, service and scholarship including the distinction of Distinguished Fellow of the National Art Education Association in the USA, the Ted T. Aoki Award for Distinguished Service in Canadian Curriculum Studies, the Canadian Art Teacher of the Year Award (2006), and the Killam Award for Excellence in Mentoring (UBC).