Starting in March 2023, the Kings Head Theatre will welcome four guest Artistic Directors with varied experience and from different theatre backgrounds to take over and curate their own seasons at the iconic Islington pub venue. Each will have full creative control over curating the programme, supported by the staff at the King’s Head Theatre.
The guest Artistic Directors – Isabel Adomakoh Young (co-creator of PECS Drag Kings), Tom Ratcliffe (Wreckage, currently playing at the Turbine Theatre), Tania Azevedo (resident director on & Juliet) and David Cumming (Operation Mincemeat) – are all mid-career LGBTQ+ identifying artists from various disciplines. Each guest Artistic Director will curate a season exploring a number of themes ranging from arts and activism, new musical theatre to the best in drag and cabaret.
As well as offering these four artists an opportunity to develop their seasons, they will also be matched with an industry mentor and receive training on practical aspects of programming, different approaches to artistic direction and curation and developing artists.
Part of the aim of the takeovers is to give mid-career artists interested in exploring the next steps in their careers towards artistic curation and direction a training opportunity where there are very few options for aspiring cultural curators.
Senior Producer Sofi Berenger said, “King’s Head Theatre is delighted to have been supported by Arts Council England to be able to offer an alternative approach to the curation of our programme. It’s an opportunity to counteract the exclusive nature of theatre by removing the gatekeeper of programming, opening it up to other creatives who may not have had the opportunity. I’m so excited to be working alongside four incredibly talented artists and I can’t wait to see what they will do with their respective seasons. Providing space to new queer voices is something that the KHT strives towards. Expect boundary pushing, binary breaking, explosive new work from some of the country’s most exciting new artists.”
The guest artistic directors’ seasons will be some of the final seasons ever programmed in the Kings Head Theatre Pub in its current building, London’s oldest pub theatre. More details on the new theatre space to be announced in due course.
All of the seasons are open for public proposals, and artists are encouraged to get in touch about their shows by visiting the website here for more information. This is an exciting opportunity for LGBTQ+ artists in a theatre known for it’s focus on showcasing work which explores the full spectrum of experiences faced by the community.
