Robert JE Simpson is a visual artist, performer, writer and broadcaster from Belfast, Northern Ireland. He specialises in the history of film and popular culture, and has a keen interest in issues around mental health.

He can regularly be heard on BBC Radio Ulster as a contributor, or be found hosting events and talks around the UK and Ireland. He has written for magazines, appeared in documentaries (Hammer Horror: A Fan's Guide, What's The Matter With Tony Slattery?), provided commentaries for BluRays (Howard the Duck), and his first solo book - The Willing Fool: The Spectacle of the Wicker Man (based on his MA thesis) was published in 2021.

As an artist, he has exhibited several collections of his photography, and launched his first exhibition of fine art pieces in August 2022. His work is primarily concerned with historical landscapes and popular culture.

He is an experienced workshop facilitator and mentor, running sessions based around photography, writing, story telling and memory.

Robert is also an actor, and has worked on everything from short films and amateur drama to adverts, feature films and high-profile tv series. He is the owner of Avalard Productions.

Along with Dr Rachael Kelly, he runs CinePunked, an organisation that aims to bridge the gap between film academia and film fandom, through podcasts, publications and live events.