Shoreditch Town Hall announces the appointment of Beth Byrne as the new Chief Executive Officer. Byrne has over twenty years producing work for the stage in both the subsidised and commercial sectors. Most recently, she was Executive Producer at Europe’s largest arts centre: Southbank Centre, where for five years she led their producing and event management teams and, latterly, their Touring and Performance, Comedy and Dance programmes. She joins the company effective as of 14 June 2021, taking over from James Pidgeon who leaves to join Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre as Executive Director.
Beth Byrne said today, “I’m so happy to be joining Shoreditch Town Hall – this building has always had a pioneering spirit, represented by the word Progress emblazoned on its figurehead, which I hope to continue to fulfil. Shoreditch has a deep-rooted and thriving cultural scene and, as our newly cleaned Town Hall reopens its doors and welcomes its community back in, I want to ensure this includes everyone within this vibrant, multicultural, borough. We are proud of our civic role in providing as inclusive a space as it is beautiful, in which to congregate and share joyful experiences, and I look forward to playing my part in the company’s future as we reopen and rebuild.”
The Trustees of Shoreditch Town Hall said, “Shoreditch Town Hall has come a long way in the ten years since it relaunched as a performance and events space so we’re delighted that we’ve been able to select someone with an artistic pedigree as strong as Beth’s to lead our next phase. She joins as our recent clean-up has revealed the building’s external beauty and we can begin once more to animate its equally grand interior for our varied audiences. Beth’s track record, which embraces both commercial theatre and avant-garde, multi-discipline performance is an exciting mix to create new adventures. Shoreditch Town Hall is a Hackney diamond and Beth will ensure its lustre lights up the East End and beyond.”
Recruitment will shortly begin for the new role of Head of Cultural Programme working alongside Byrne, which will be responsible for shaping and delivering the Town Hall’s artistic vision beyond 2021.
Beth Byrne forged her career in creative producing as Sam Mendes’ Literary Manager at the Donmar Warehouse and Neal Street Productions curating the American Imports season featuring award-winning new work from Richard Greenberg, Stephen Adly-Guirgis and Kenneth Lonergan and helped produce wide-ranging shows such as Dreamworks’ Shrek, the Musical, Almodovar’s All About My Mother, Peepolykus’ Hound of the Baskervilles and the Chocolate Factory’s Sunday in the Park with George. She was Associate Producer of the National Theatre’s transfer of War Horse to the West End before becoming Executive Director for Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod’s theatre company, Cheek by Jowl, touring internationally with work in English, Russian and French, and where she is now Trustee.
Welcoming over 70,000 people through its doors every year, Shoreditch Town Hall is a leading independent cultural, live events and community space housed in one of the grandest former civic buildings in the capital. Comprising over 48,000 square feet across 70 individual rooms, the Grade II listed Town Hall is the largest multi-artform venue in Hackney and more in use than at any other point in its recent history.
With 8 main spaces from 40 to 800 capacity, the Town Hall presents a year-round programme of bold and innovative new theatre, music, dance, circus and talks, as well as hosts 200 live event hires every year. The Town Hall’s artist development programme supports 50 artists, and commissions up to 8 new pieces of live performance a year, and the organisation collaborates with a range of local partners to deliver an extensive community and engagement programme.
The Town Hall partners with leading UK drama school Mountview on the MA in Site-Specific Theatre Practice and is also home to 6 local businesses including the Michelin starred The Clove Club.
The Town Hall’s programme has recently included work with Barely Methodical Troupe, curious directive, dreamthinkspeak, Jamie Lloyd, Kneehigh, LIFT, Manchester International Festival, Nigel Barrett & Louise Mari, Royal Shakespeare Company, ThisEgg and The Wardrobe Ensemble, alongside events with the likes of Alexander McQueen, Amazon, Cartier, Channel 4, Fred Perry, Red Bull, and the filming of The Death of Stalin, Florence Foster Jenkins and The Lady in the Van.
Shoreditch Town Hall is a registered charity (1069617) and receives no regular or revenue funding thus relying on 100% earned income every year.
