Battersea Arts Centre has announced that Tarek Iskander will take up the position of artistic director and CEO in May 2019. Iskander, who is currently Interim Director for Theatre at Arts Council England, will succeed David Jubb, who will lead the organisation until April.
Tarek Iskander said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining Battersea Arts Centre’s fantastic team. David Jubb’s legacy is immense, and we want to use that springboard to continuously reinvent how we embolden our communities and our artists.
“Battersea Arts Centre will always be a home for the pioneering and the under-represented, the visionary and the mischievous. It’s that uncompromising, radical and rebellious spirit… That’s what has always made Battersea Arts Centre precious to me and to others. I’m so excited to work with everyone to devise what remarkable things Battersea Arts Centre does next.”
The recruitment process was overseen by David Bryan, Battersea Arts Centre’s new Chair of the board of trustees. Bryan takes over from Michael Day, who steps down after supporting and championing the organisation for six critical years.
David Bryan, Chair of the board of trustees, said: “We are thrilled to appoint Tarek Iskander as the next artistic director and CEO of Battersea Arts Centre. Tarek emerged as the leading candidate after an open and rigorous recruitment process, involving external panellists and members of the community. I look forward to supporting his inspiring vision for the future of Battersea Arts Centre in my new role as chair of the board of trustees.”
David Jubb, artistic director and CEO, added: “Tarek is a fantastic appointment for Battersea Arts Centre. He brings vision, warmth and a breadth of experience. He will lead positive change and take the organisation to a whole new level. Battersea Arts Centre owes a huge debt of gratitude to Michael Day, who has played a terrific role as Chair over the last six years. We are lucky to now have David Bryan as an outstanding new Chair; I very much look forward to working with him through until April.”
Bio
Tarek Iskander is currently Interim Director for Theatre at Arts Council England. He has also been an artistic director as part of Up Next – a takeover initiative by Artistic Directors of the Future, Battersea Arts Centre and Bush Theatre. Previously, Iskander was one of the founders and associate artistic director of the Yard Theatre in Hackney and also resident director at the National Theatre Studio. Credits as director include Qudz and Shiver (both at the Yard Theatre and also written by Iskander), Minotaur (Unicorn Theatre) and A Winter’s Tale (Batumi Drama Theatre/British Council Georgia). Prior to embarking on a career in theatre, Iskander worked for many years in senior and executive roles with the National Health Service.
