ArtsEd has announced the appointment of theatre and film director, Nicholai La Barrie to their Board of Trustees. The appointment was made in March, just prior to the government’s Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. Nicholai is an Artistic Associate at Lyric Hammersmith and has been a MOBO Fellow.
Nicholai has worked internationally and across the UK as a director, actor and arts administrator. His work as a director includes productions at: Lyric Hammersmith, Arcola Theatre, Edinburgh Festival, LIFT, Gate, and Ovalhouse. Most recently, he was resident director on TINA – The Tina Turner Musical in the West End.
His film credits include: Hamlet Sort Of (2017) North East South West (short film, 2016), Aingeal (2012) and Dark Stranger (2009), which was an official selection at the Caribbean Film Festival.
Nicholai’s extensive experience of developing young people’s engagement with the performing arts is a particularly valuable addition to the ArtsEd Board’s wide range of expertise. As Director of Young People and Emerging Artists at the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith, he was responsible for nurturing a new diverse generation of theatre artists, technicians and managers. He is the former Head of Youth Arts, and resident youth theatre director at Ovalhouse in Brixton, and directed an award-winning production of Chatroom for the National Theatre Shell Connections Youth Festival as well as site-specific productions of Peter Pan, and Ti-Jean and His Brothers in the flower garden at Kennington Park.
Nicholai is the recipient of the Mayor of London Award (for raising the voice of young people), and the RSC Complete Works Award for his adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. He has been the Young Company Director at the Unicorn Children’s Theatre in London, and the Youth and Communities Manager at Hoxton Hall where he developed strategy, and managed arts, sports and positive activities for young people at both Hoxton Hall and Rose Bowl.
Of his appointment to ArtsEd Board of Trustees, Nicholai said: “I am excited to join the Board of Trustees of ArtsEd. The calibre of teaching and the care they have for students I have always admired. ArtsEd is at the forefront of creating real opportunities for its students and also ensuring that the future of the industry has a broad range of talented voices. I am pleased to be a member of the board.”
ArtsEd Principal, Chris Hocking said: “We are delighted that Nicholai is joining our Board of Trustees. His commitment to young people in performing arts training and his experience in the industry adds great value to ArtsEd’s passionate board. I very much look forward to working with him”
