Artistic director Hamish Glen and executive director Joanna Reid who have both been at Coventry’s Belgrade since 2003 are to step down as the theatre reduces its leadership team.
The Belgrade says the changes have been driven by the need to address the financial challenges of the pandemic and its aftermath, and the desire to develop a new vision and way of working for a 21st century theatre.
Glen and Reid said, “as with all theatres across the UK, the pandemic has proved uniquely challenging for the Belgrade, both financially and logistically. We’re proud of the way the whole team has pulled together, that we’re riding the storm with resilience and we’re excited for the work both inside and outside the building during Coventry UK City of Culture year.
“We feel that now is the right time to look to the future and to step aside, handing over a strong organisation to allow the next generation of talented and innovative theatre leaders to take the Belgrade forward.”
Two new posts will be created: a chief executive responsible for overall strategy and to run the commercial side of the Belgrade, and a creative director who will focus on the theatre’s artistic output across both its professional and community areas. There will be a scaled-down leadership team of six.
The aim is that the new chief executive and creative director will be in post in January 2022. Glen and Reid will leave in March 2022.