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Introduction

Simon Turner smiles at the camera for his headshot whilst wearing a blue suit.

Simon Turner, Chair

We continue to live in challenging times which makes all the work that happens here at the Roundhouse even more important. The UK, especially London, has always been a wonderfully diverse, creative place and we can’t allow the current crisis to let us take steps backwards in terms of who partakes in, or benefits from all that creativity has to offer.

But with your support, particularly over the last few years, we have been able to plan for an ambitious future so that we can expand our work with young people at a time when they need us more than ever. This is alongside delivering a groundbreaking artistic programme that inspires audiences around the world.

Thank you to our supporters, staff and trustees for your ongoing dedication and we look forward to welcoming you to the Roundhouse over the next year.

Marcus Davey stands in front of a brick wall whilst talking to a crowd.

Marcus Davey CBE, CEO and Artistic Director

We learnt a huge amount during the pandemic and something I think it showed us is that creativity is truly London’s superpower. When we harness the wonderfully diverse creativity of London we raise the creative potential of the UK. Throughout these pages you can see some of the incredible work that graced our stages and screens as we made the transition back to live shows, including the return of our flagship festivals The Last Word Festival, Roundhouse Rising and In the Round.

Re-opening the doors of the Roundhouse would not have been possible without the ongoing support of Arts Council England and DCMS, and even though this continued to be an incredibly challenging year, there were many moments of hope. One of those was beginning the building work on Roundhouse Works, our new creative centre for young people, which will provide them with the space and opportunity to turn their creativity into a career. We want young people to know that we are committed to investing in them at a time when many are faced with an uncertain future.

We know we have some big challenges ahead but with the will and skill of our incredible team and the generosity and loyalty of our supporters we feel confident about the future – a huge and heartfelt thank you to you all.

Roundhouse Young Trustees

Beth, Chloe and Oriana have all been involved with the Roundhouse’s young creatives programme and joined as Trustees in 2022. Click on their images below to find out more about their Trusteeship and the importance of young people’s voices in governance.

Beth is wearing a pinstripe suit and standing below chandeliers.
Beth

Beth is a freelance live arts producer supporting award-winning independent artists and companies from the LGBTQIA+ community and is an active advocate for better freelancer rights across the creative industries as well as for youth voice and empowerment.

“I think so often trusteeship is only thought about in relation to the wider context of an organisation, which can feel a bit faceless and large, particularity to freelancers and early career artists.
To me, becoming a Trustee is all about centring your values and striving to put these into practice in everything you do. It’s then you find yourself working alongside inspiring, like-minded others who share your passions for celebrating the kind of creativity you platform, support and facilitate.”
Beth is wearing a pinstripe suit and standing below chandeliers.
Beth
Chloe is looking at the camera with a smile.
Chloe

Chloe is a freelance creative in the TV and Digital industry and works as a Researcher/Assistant Producer on Factual and Digital shows, she is also passionate about raising awareness about diversity and inclusion in the TV industry too.

“I help provide a youth perspective on the Board and I also let the board know about the work the Roundhouse Youth Advisory Board (RYAB) has been up to over the past few months. Because young people are at the heart of the Roundhouse, it makes sense to listen to their voices and allow them to feed into programmes that are designed to directly benefit and support them.

As someone who is self-employed and eventually plans to start their own production company, it’s great to understand how an organisation as vast as the Roundhouse runs, and what’s required for it to run smoothly, and I hope to put into practice what I’m learning into my own business one day.”

 
Chloe is looking at the camera with a smile.
Chloe
Oriana is looking at the camera and wearing a brown top and hoop earrings.
Oriana

Oriana is a freelance visual artist working as a painting assistant for Philip Colbert as well as working on her own practice. She is also the founder of The Medela School, a visual arts platform that provides educational and wellbeing support through art classes and workshops, offering skill based arts classes.

“This is my first board role and it has been exciting so far. I feel that I’m finding my voice in governance and what it looks like to be part of the infrastructure of an organisation that serves both creativity and young people, which I’m super passionate about.
One of the key ways I use my position as a trustee is to connect young creatives in my network to opportunities at the Roundhouse. Whether it’s them being a part of a programme or getting access to the facilities to improve their craft, my goal is that by the end of my tenure I have testimonials of at least 15 – 20 young people who have had the opportunity to further their creative career through something or someone from the Roundhouse.”
Oriana is looking at the camera and wearing a brown top and hoop earrings.
Oriana