The Unicorn theatre has announced that Dr Vanessa Ogden will succeed John Langley as Chair of the Board of Trustees with effect from 18 March 2021.
Vanessa Ogden will bring a wealth of experience from an extensive and highly regarded career dedicated to education, the well-being of children and young people and the arts. Vanessa also has wide experience in successfully leading and developing Boards, both in the charity sector and in the governance of education.
Vanessa said ‘I am delighted to be the new Chair of the Unicorn Theatre. The inspired programming of new work is led by a brilliant team in Justin Audibert and Bailey Lock and It’s a privilege to join them, together with their team, the trustees, ambassadors and our patrons – in leadership of the Unicorn. The importance of this theatre for children and young people, as a safe space in which to explore identity, stretch creative potential and deepen imagination, is as vital now as it has ever been. The Covid-19 pandemic has affected children more than others in many ways and the Unicorn has a key role to play in rebuilding, healing and enriching their future – and ours. I am looking forward to this exciting journey over the next few years’
Justin Audibert Artistic Director said ‘I am absolutely delighted that Vanessa is joining the Unicorn at this pivotal moment in our history. We are greatly looking forward to working with her to reopen our building and welcome children and families back into our beautiful Tooley Street home once again. I am certain that Vanessa’s passion for the arts, and her deep commitment to making lasting change in the lives of children and young people from all backgrounds, make her the perfect Chair for the Unicorn.’
Dr Vanessa Ogden is the founding CEO of the Mulberry Schools Trust, a multi-academy trust (MAT) in London, UK. The Trust is committed to raising standards in challenging contexts and includes Mulberry School for Girls, Mulberry Academy Shoreditch, Mulberry University Technical College and Mulberry Academy London Dock. The MAT has a Teaching School, a parent and community centre with a professional theatre and a new STEM Academy, sponsored by Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix. Vanessa led the construction of Mulberry UTC, a college for students aged 15 – 19 with a focus on high quality technical learning in the arts. It houses a teaching theatre modelled on the Dorfman: the National Theatre’s technologically innovative 2020 production ‘Anna’ was developed there before transfer for performance.
The Unicorn Theatre is the UK’s leading theatre for young audiences, producing an eclectic and surprising programme of work year-round for children aged 6 months to 18 years. Based in their purpose-built home at London Bridge, the Unicorn aims to connect artists and audiences through a broad range of work that is honest, refreshing and international in outlook, across a range of disciplines. The Unicorn presents and tours twelve to fifteen shows each year, at home and abroad, to around 65,000 children and their parents and carers, and works extensively with schools and in the community to invite children from all cultures into a conversation about art and the world we live in.
