Posted on August 21st, 2024
We announce today the appointment of Alan Bookbinder as Chair of the Board. Bookbinder will take over from Tim Clark who steps down as Chair this Autumn.
The former master of Downing College, Cambridge, Alan Bookbinder has a long-held passion for supporting new talent. His career includes producing and commissioning documentaries for the BBC, managing many of the Sainsburys’ Charitable Trusts, and chairing the Trusts and Foundations sub-committee of the National Theatre’s Development Board.
This new comes as we also appoint six new trustees to our Board as we continue to champion new writers in the East of England. Jane Ball, Greg Brenman, Caroline Dyott, Elma Glasgow, Lucy Rowan-Robinson, and Colin Simon join the Board to steer us towards our 2030 vision for the East of England to be a nationally recognised seedbed of playwriting talent.
Bookbinder said today: “I’m thrilled to be joining HighTide’s excellent Trustee Board and staff team. It’s inspiring to help develop the next generation of playwrights in the East of England and ensure that theatre continues to be a force for good and a source of joy.”
Tim Clark, HighTide’s outgoing Chair said today: “It has been a real joy to be the Chair of HighTide for the last eight years. It is a small but disproportionately important part of the UK theatre ecology and I am grateful to the staff, my fellow Trustees, our generous supporters and partners, and the very talented creatives with whom we work, who have all enabled it to flourish through very difficult times for the whole industry.
“I am delighted now to be passing on my role to Alan Bookbinder, an outstanding choice for Chair, who will lead HighTide with our amazing Artistic Director and CEO, Clare Slater. Together, they will ensure that the theatre continues to provide a platform for writers in the East of England and to support literacy in schools in our region.”
Alongside these appointments, we’re delighted to announce playwright Lucy Kirkwood (The Witches, The Children, Chimerica) as a new Patron. She joins Nicholas Hytner and David Hare as Patrons.
Lucy Kirkwood said today: “I’m delighted and honoured to become a Patron of HighTide. Their wonderful work championing playwrights in the East of England is vitally important to the artists working here, and to making theatre in East Anglia an art form for everyone, not just the few.”
Long-standing arts philanthropist and HighTide supporter, Clare Parsons, is also announced as a Lifetime Patron. She has helped us to flourish since our inception, creating a ground-breaking corporate partnership with Lansons, the company she co-founded with her husband, Tony Langham.
Clare Parsons said today: “From the early days , HighTide has been extraordinary, and Lansons continues to be proud of our unique association and support . It’s been an honour being part of an organisation that supports early stage writers from all backgrounds , often seeing their work come to the stage. “
With strong leaders at our helm, we look forward to an exciting Autumn season including More…Ghost Stories by Candlelight touring from 15 October to 2 November and our one-day HighTide Rising festival of new work on 23 November.
