After ten game-changing years in the theatre industry, Artistic Directors of the Future (ADF), announce that they will be closing this autumn. ADF was founded in 2014 by the visionary Simeilia Hodge-Dallaway.
ADF’s mission is to demystify the role of artistic director and senior executive, thereby increasing leadership representation and progressing the careers of theatre practitioners who are Black, Asian or ethnically diverse (Global Majority).
Since becoming a registered charity in 2016, ADF has made a significant impact on the creative landscape by working in collaboration with the theatre industry, academia and numerous leading producing theatres located nationally and internationally. ADF deepened its relationships with Executive Teams including the CEO’s, Artistic Directors and Executive Directors of over 20 leading theatres and arts organisations across the UK, including Donmar Warehouse, Battersea Arts Centre, Theatre Royal Stratford East, Bush Theatre, Young Vic Theatre, National Theatre, Royal Court Theatre, Lyric Hammersmith, Royal Exchange Manchester, Curve Theatre Leicester, Talawa Theatre Company, Northern Lines(Bradford), Stonecrabs, Tamasha Theatre Company, ZENDEH and Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).
When ADF opened its doors in 2014 there were less than a handful of Global Majority artistic directors and executives in the UK. A decade later the landscape looks markedly different with Global Majority artistic directors/executives at Arcola Theatre, ATC, Battersea Arts Centre, Belgrade, Bernie Grants Arts Centre, Borough of Culture 2022 (Associate AD), Bristol Old Vic, Brixton House, Bush Theatre, Chichester, Contact, Eclipse, Extant, Home, Hoxton Hall, Kakilang, Kiln Theatre, Leeds 2023, Liverpool Everyman, National Theatre (Deputy AD), New Earth, Northern Stage, Sheffield Theatres (Associate AD), RIFCO, Royal Exchange Theatre, STL Ltd, Talawa, Tamasha, Tara, Theatre Peckham, Theatre Royal Stratford East, Tiata Fahodzi, Tribe Arts, Uproot Theatre, Utopia Theatre, Young Vic, and more.
ADF’s pioneering programme, UP Next, in partnership with The Bush Theatre and Battersea Arts Centre, handed over power and resources to six global majority makers – Tarek Iskander, Saad Eddine Said, Lekan Lewal, Sita Thomas and Tobi Kyeremateng.
The closure will be managed by Transition Manager, Pauline Walker. “I have followed ADF from the beginning and have seen how the organisation’s work has transformed the theatre sector. Simeilia’s singular vision was a bold one – to effect change for Global Majority arts leaders in Britain and the work she started has certainly borne fruit. ADF is undeniably a success story and during this year I will be documenting that success within a publication so that the incredible work the charity has done will not be forgotten and will serve as an inspiration for those currently working to diversify the sector and for those who are yet to take on the mantle.”
