Experience

Tara Theatre

• United Kingdom
• Performing Arts
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Artistic Director & Joint CEO

  • Jul 2020 - Present

  Tara Theatre is a world-renowned arts organisation - we are the UK’s longest established Asian, Black and ethnically diverse theatre company, and the only one with its own theatre building. For four decades Tara Theatre has been a pioneer of cross-cultural practice in the UK, championing South Asian performers, writers, directors and musicians, and touring extensively both nationally and internationally. We are the beating creative heart of our communities, and we make politically charged, innovative theatre which creates ripples from the hyper-local to the global. We embed ourselves in local communities, identifying new narratives, new ideas and new artists. In August 2020 Abdul Shayek was appointed Artistic Director, beginning a bold new chapter for Tara at a moment of unprecedented global change marked by the Covid-19 pandemic, the climate emergency and the Black Lives Matter movement. This led to an unequivocal consensus that our work remains more urgent than ever. Every year we deliver a three-fold, yet fluid, programme of shows, emerging talent work and community engagement initiatives for adults and young people. Each year, Tara Theatre welcomes over 8,000 people (45% from Asian, Black and ethnically diverse backgrounds) and works with 400 artists (80% from Asian, Black and ethnically diverse backgrounds). We provide educational opportunities for 500 participants - even more when touring. Over the next three years we plan to grow our delivery to welcome 10,500 audience members, 800 community participants, and 500 emerging artists annually.



FIO

• Brazil
• Apparel & Fashion
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Artistic Director

  • May 2015 - Aug 2020

  Founding Artistic Director and CEO of Fio. FIO makes fearless theatre. Fio in Latin means to belong, to create, to grow. Founded in 2015 with social justice at its heart, it has quickly become an international touring theatre company. Based in Cardiff and registered as a charity, Fio has already developed a track record for New BAME Productions, Artists’ Training and Development, Community Engagement/ Refined Outreach and International Projects. Fio is committed to changing lives by providing underrepresented people with a means to tell their story. Our ambition is to turn these marginalised voices into projects and performances that resonate with audiences and whereby change starts to take place as a result.


English National Opera
• United Kingdom
• Performing Arts
• 100 - 200 Employee
• Directors observership

  • Aug 2019 - Feb 2020


National Theatre Wales

• United Kingdom
• Performing Arts
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Creative Associate

  • Apr 2011 - Apr 2013

  Responsible for producing and directing the ‘Assembly’ strand of NTW, series of democratically elected, interactive, performance debate events taking place across Wales and Internationally, in Tokyo, Japan. Responsible for overseeing & producing the research & development projects currently being delivered working with leading writers, directors & other creative. Going out to various countries, festivals and conferences to advocate NTW’s work, identify interesting companies and individuals for future collaborations and network more generally to benefit the company. Create and help to develop the companies digital engagement strands on the various digital platforms. Present the company and it’s work at seminars, conferences and festivals across the world!



YOUTH OF CREATIVE ARTS CIC

• United Kingdom
• Performing Arts

• Artistic Director

  • Jul 2005 - Apr 2011

  Youth of Creative Arts (YOCA) - A company founded to deliver high-quality engagement projects and new theatre shows presenting narratives, rich with artistic and cultural diversity. At its core, YOCA’s mission was to enrich, develop and bring together communities and individuals mainly in East London but also further afield. Youth of Creative Arts (YOCA) - A company founded to deliver high-quality engagement projects and new theatre shows presenting narratives, rich with artistic and cultural diversity. At its core, YOCA’s mission was to enrich, develop and bring together communities and individuals mainly in East London but also further afield.