in partnership with The B-Bar
Barbican Theatre’s Chief Executive, Sheila Snellgrove, will be stepping down in 2020 after 39 years with the company.
During Sheila’s time with the company, Barbican Theatre has become a central part of the city’s cultural offer. Over the past 39 years the company has grown from a touring Theatre In Education company with no base to a regular producer of accessible high-quality performance and training, both at its main premises on the Barbican and in various locations across the city.
Sheila trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London and has worked in theatre and education as an actor, director and producer and teacher. She is a director of Plymouth
Culture and Plymouth & Devon Racial Equality Council and served on Plymouth Fairness Commission, reporting on how to make the City a fairer place for all its citizens.
Sheila said,
“Plymouth is my city and I will always be passionate about it. I feel honoured to have been able to support young people’s creativity through my work at Barbican Theatre and to champion local artists by giving them work, opportunities and a reason to stay. We have always been more than just a theatre and embraced key issues of public concern through our outreach and education programmes – I believe this is the future of theatre and I am excited to see how the Barbican continues to grow and thrive. I am passionate about the work we do in the city to embrace cultural diversity, and I am proud to have played my part in bringing people together to listen, share and connect worlds”.
Matt Hall, Chair of Trustees said,
“Sheila is an amazing cultural leader and, after 4 decades of establishing and developing Barbican Theatre, we will miss her very much. Her integrity, strength and determination are second to none and these qualities have enabled her to carve out countless opportunities for new artists and new voices to be heard in the city. This is a really exciting time for the next generation of artistic leaders to both continue Sheila’s outstanding work and shape the cultural landscape of tomorrow”.
Sheila leaves Barbican Theatre in a strong position as it enters its next phase with ongoing support from Arts Council England, Plymouth City Council and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation amongst others. She has been instrumental in developing Plymouth Cultural Education Partnership which has recently received £1m for work in Plymouth schools.
Barbican Theatre is now looking for an ambitious and dynamic leader who Sheila will hand over to in early 2020 and who will continue to take the company from strength to strength.
A recruitment pack and details of the position can be downloaded at barbicantheatre.co.uk/jobs (from Thursday 21 November).
Application deadline: 12pm Thursday 30 January 2020
Interviews: Friday 14 February 2020