Churn with the VileArts! Rupert's off to London...

Summerhall is proud to announce that it's first Artistic Director Rupert Thomson, who has been with the organisation since 2011, is to take up a new role as Senior Programmer for Performance and Dance at the Southbank Centre in London.

On his appointment Rupert Thomson says:

"Naturally I am very much looking forward to

getting started at Southbank. But it is also very much the case that I will miss Summerhall and the buoyant Scottish arts and culture scene. I am hugely grateful for the support and investment Summerhall has had from artists, individuals and organisations over the past few years, and I am sure many of us will be working together again one way or another in the future. This is not least as Anu and I already have plans for our company, Eleven, to continue working in Scotland supporting Scottish artists and international collaboration."

Rupert used to be my boss at The Skinny. I hate it when people I know are successful. 


Rupert will be full time at Southbank Centre from May onward but has already put in place an incredible performance schedule for Summerhall's Festival in August details of which will be announced in due course alongside the visual arts programme for the Festival.


Sam Gough, General Manager of Summerhall

says:“We are absolutely delighted that Rupert has accepted this great position at the Southbank Centre, it's a fantastic opportunity for him. Whilst here, Rupert’s artistic direction has firmly cemented Summerhall’s place in the arts and for that we are very grateful. He will be missed. The programme that Rupert has curated for this years Festival is stronger than ever with some truly brilliant shows and collaborations planned. It goes without saying that we wish him all the best of luck in his new role and we look forward to hearing about all of his triumphs in London.”

Summerhall is the leading multi-arts venue in Edinburgh​ which offers an all year round programme of performance, visual arts, music, film and dance.

Founder and Director of Summerhall Robert McDowel​l says: "At Summerhall we are very proud of all of our programming in our first four years, the quality of which is greatly to Rupert's credit. He has a vision which we all share and will continue. We celebrate Rupert's well deserved reputation and are sure he will be a great asset to the Southbank. We hope Rupert will continue to offer his good advice and be an informative mentor to all that we strive to accomplish here at Summerhall in the future"

Alchemy @ Southbank Centre

The festival will present collaborations, new works, premieres and legendary artists across dance, music, theatre, design, fashion, comedy and literature, plus talks and debates providing a unique insight into the region.
Southbank Centre is pleased to announce three very special shows for next year’s programme plus more details about touring the festival to UK regional partner venues for Alchemy Oldham, Alchemy Doncaster and Alchemy Black Country.

Rock On Music will be joining hands with Alchemy and bringing the new nightingale of India, Shreya Ghoshal (23 May), to the UK for a one off performance at Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall. Shreya will give a magical performance at Alchemy following a series of sell out shows across the globe.

Nirbhaya, written and directed by Yaël Farber, comes to Southbank Centre (22 -24 May) for Alchemy. The internationally acclaimed playwright creates a searing work with an extraordinary cast and creative team from India that cracks open the silence around women whose lives have been shattered by gender-based violence. A BSL performance will take place on 24 May. 

Nirbhaya is presented by Southbank Centre, Oldham Coliseum, Cast and Black Country Touring and touring to all venues in 2015.
The world famous Jaipur Literature Festival returns to Southbank Centre for a second time (16-17 May). This two-day programme gives an insight into 'the world’s largest free literary festival'. The festival showcases South Asia's multilingual literary heritage, oral and performing arts, books and ideas, dialogue and debate, Bollywood and politics. In true Jaipur Literature Festival style, the residency will begin with music and finish with a huge, celebratory party.

Alchemy has grown to become the largest festival of Indian and South Asian culture outside India. 2015 will see Alchemy tour for the first time across England. Support from Arts Council England and the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation has enabled Southbank Centre to work with Oldham Coliseum (Oldham), Cast (Doncaster) and Black Country Touring (across the Black Country) to build a tour of regionally instigated work inspired by Alchemy themes. These venues will present Nirbhaya to regional audiences on 28 May at The Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton, 1 and 2 June at The Grange Arts Centre, Oldham and 4, 5 and 6 June at Cast, Doncaster.



Rachel Harris, Creative Producer, Festival Development, Southbank Centre, said, "We are delighted to be able to announce these projects for our sixth Alchemy at Southbank Centre and we look forward to revealing the full programme in Spring 2015. Once again we are welcoming artists from increasingly diverse backgrounds and places from across the Indian Subcontinent as well as reflecting the talent and breadth of artists from across the UK. I am delighted that among them will be the world renowned songstress Shreya Ghoshal and the mould breaking theatre piece Nirbhaya, both new to Alchemy and who both have electrifying performances to share with our audiences. It is also great to be welcoming back the Jaipur Literature Festival for a second year running for a very special expanded residency, the only one of its kind outside the festival’s Indian home.”




The BBC Asian Network feature highlights, performances and exclusive content from Southbank Centre’s Alchemy. Broadcast details will be announced early Spring.


Southbank Centre is the UK’s largest arts centre, occupying a 21-acre site that sits in the midst of London’s most vibrant cultural quarter on the South Bank of the Thames. The site has an extraordinary creative and architectural history stretching back to the 1951 Festival of Britain. Southbank Centre is home to the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room and the Hayward Gallery as well as The Saison Poetry Library and the Arts Council Collection. For further information please visit www.southbankcentre.co.uk