Kenneth Olumuyiwa Tharp CBE is a key figure in the UK arts and culture scene. He began his career as a dancer, performing with the London Contemporary Dance Theatre and with other leading companies during a 25-year period as performer, choreographer, teacher and director. He was Chief Executive of The Place from 2007-2016, and from 2018 to 2020 was director of The Africa Centre, a home for contemporary African culture and heritage. He is currently interim CEO of Eclipse Theatre, a Black-led touring theatre company, based in Leeds.
Drawing on his rich and varied experience as both artist and cultural leader, Kenneth shared some of his insights in conversation with Virginia Kerridge.
Links to content mentioned
- Chineke! Orchestra – Song of the Prophets at Queen Elizabeth Hall 16 October 2021 www.chineke.org/events/song-of-the-prophets-live-audience
- BBC iPlayer Prom played by Chineke! orchestra www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000z2f0/bbc-proms-2021-chineke-with-jeneba-kannehmason
- TED Talk – Sir Ken Robinson – Do schools kill creativity? www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_do_schools_kill_creativity
- Eclipse Theatre – My White Best Friend – North eclipsetheatre.org.uk/news/1634-my-white-best-friend-north
- World Premiere: Robert Cohan’s Lockdown Portraits – Sun 17 Oct 2021 Barbican Cinema www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2021/event/robert-cohans-lockdown-portraits
- Sir Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures – The Nutcracker https://new-adventures.net/nutcracker
- Sir Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures company in ‘The Midnight Bell’ – Intoxicated tales from darkest Soho https://new-adventures.net/the-midnight-bell
- This is Us – Award-winning dance theatre company Luca Silvestrini’s Protein worked with a group of 11–16-year-old pupils from New Directions School to create a new dance film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZTDm1azwQs
- The Dancing Times is available in Highgate Library including Kenneth’s articles in April, May and June 2021