Helen Green, currently Director of The Fire Station and formerly Creative Director of Arts Centre Washington, has been appointed as Head of Performance for Sunderland Culture, the organisation which was formally launched earlier this week (April 2) by Sunderland Council, the University of Sunderland and the MAC Trust. It is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation which, through the Twenty Four Seven programme launched last month, will develop the work of all the Partners’ creative venues.
Prior to spending nearly eight years as Arts Centre Washington’s Creative Director, Green was Head of Administration at the London’s Apollo Victoria Theatre (1983 to 1987), General Manager of the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain (1988 to 1993), General Manager of Edinburgh’s Theatre Workshop (1996 to 2000) and General Manager of Théâtre Sans Frontières in Hexham from 2001 to 2008. She remains a Board member of Théâtre Sans Frontières.
“It’s an exciting role,” she said of her new job. “A totally new challenge and a great opportunity at an important time in Sunderland’s cultural development.
“I’ll be responsible for the strategic overview of performing arts across the city at Sunderland Culture’s venues, including The Fire Station and Arts Centre Washington.
“My focus at the moment is on delivering the best possible programme to thrill local and national audiences coming to Sunderland to enjoy the spectacle of the Tall Ships. But I’m starting to think about programming exciting, challenging and appropriate performances for Sunderland Culture’s venues. I’d also like to build on the success of Sunderland Stages by looking to programme performances into places you wouldn’t normally associate with the arts.”
She wants to find the resources needed to commission work in the city and develop and promote local artistic talent.
“I think developing, encouraging and allowing local talent to grow will be a big part of my role,” she said, and she sees the new 450-seater auditorium next to The Fire Station, on which building will start later this year with an opening scheduled for 2020, will be an important part of this.
“I’m already contributing to planning for the opening season of the auditorium—it’ll be something special. Taking a broader view, I want to provide opportunities for the city’s wide range of community performing arts groups and I also see developing new audiences as a real priority.”
Hers is the third senior appointment to Sunderland Culture, following on that of Keith Merrin as Chief Executive and Rebecca Ball as Creative Director.
“Helen’s appointment is another step forward,” said Keith Merrin. “Her knowledge and experience in a range of senior roles in the arts and culture sector will be an asset to Sunderland Culture, and she’ll bring an energy and dynamism to the important area of performance.”