Decolonizing the Theatre Space: A Conversation

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2020 was a year in which global politics radically shifted, catalyzed by the Covid-19 pandemic and the #BlackLivesMatter movement. This book is a response to that year, asking was it a moment or is it a movement and what fundamental changes within the arts industry need to come out of this time The book includes 20 interviews with some of the most pioneering black cultural leaders from a wide range of senior executive positions in the arts within the UK, US and Africa. It documents the sea of change in arts leadership post the height of the #Blacklivesmatter movement, the pressure on organizations to confront and change their racial and ethnic make-up, and shines a light on the guiding ambitions, strategic plans and visions for the future to support the ongoing decolonization of arts organizations across the world. Learn from those who have walked the walk to support your vision for the future.

Author Bio

Simeilia Hodge-Dallaway is Founder and Artistic Director/CEO at Artistic Directors of the Future, a registered charity dedicated to increase the number of culturally diverse artistic leaders in the arts and Founder/CEO at Beyond The Canon, an organisation dedicated to promoting diversity in the arts by championing hidden and forgotten plays written by international culturally diverse playwrights. In addition, she is Co-Founder and Executive Producer at Black Lives, Black Words International Project. She is the former trouble-shooter and manager of the National Theatres Black Play Archive and volume editor of The Oberon Book of Monologues for Black Actors, Classical and Contemporary Speeches from Black British Plays and Audition Speeches for Black, South Asian and Middle Eastern Actors. Kwame Kwei-Armah is British actor, playwright, director and broadcaster. From 2011 to 2018 he was the Artistic Director of Baltimore Center Stage and in 2018 he was made Artistic Director of the Young Vic Theatre, London. He was Artistic Director for the Festival of Black Arts and Culture, Senegal, in 2010 and conceived and directed the opening ceremony at Senghor National stadium. He was an Associate Director of the Donmar Warehouse and has served on the boards of the National Theatre, Tricycle Theatre and Theatre Communications Group. Kwei-Armah was the Chancellor of the University of the Arts, London, from 2010 to 2015, and in 2012 was awarded an OBE for Services to Drama. In 2012, 2013 and 2014 Kwame was named Best Director in City Papers Best of Baltimore Awards and in 2015 was nominated for the prestigious Stage Directors and Choreographers Zelda Fichandler Award for Best Regional Artistic Director. In 2016 he was awarded the Urban Visionary Award alongside House Representative Elijah Cummings by the Center for Urban Families for his work in the Baltimore community. In 2019 he was appointed the Chair of the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting. He is a patron of Ballet Black and a visiting fellow of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University.