For over thirty years, Piers has led and developed Higher Education courses across the arts (visual and performing arts, writing, music, dance and creative digital media).

He has led practice-based programmes as Course Leader, Director of Studies, Dean and Director of Academic Affairs while undertaking research as a writer and critic, and developing collaborations with festivals, galleries, theatres and venues. He held roles as Subject Leader and Course Leader at Manchester Metropolitan University and Nottingham Trent University and senior roles at Falmouth College of Arts, Wimbledon School of Art and Middlesex and Wolverhampton Universities.

He is currently supporting young people with learning difficulties and disabilities as a coach and undertaking freelance work from his base in South London.

He was educated at the University of Leeds, University of Massachusetts, USA and King’s College, London and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. In 2022, he acquired a licence and worked briefly as a London bus driver.