Storyhouse announces departure of Artistic Director Alex Clifton

Storyhouse have today announced that Artistic Director Alex Clifton will step down in August to take up a senior position with Hong Kong Disneyland resort.

Alex is Storyhouse’s founding Artistic Director and has been with the charity since 2010, firstly founding Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre and then, full-time since 2015, leading the creation of Storyhouse’s new £37m home, which opened to universal acclaim in 2017. 

Alex said:  

"I've had the most glorious eleven years working with Andrew and the team at Storyhouse; we've built something together that I'll forever be proud of, in a community I love. Like all the best journeys, it has forged lifelong friendships that will come with me into the adventures ahead. Like all good departures, it opens more doors than it closes, as Andrew and his team forge an ever-more inclusive, creative Storyhouse for Chester." 

CEO Andrew Bentley said:  

“Alex and I have been together ever since we opened our first show in Grosvenor Park, and dreamed of something even more amazing. Alex has shown our industry how creative ambition can be elevated by placing communities first, and how resilience can be built, but only in the same way.  

“Alex is leaving us in great shape, even in these tough times.  His drive at Storyhouse has been to champion inclusiveness and the power of young people and of our community.  The creative journey is our work, the opportunity to also make great art as well, a treat.  We’ll be protecting that legacy by elevating creative communities and further diversifying the voices that that make our work.”   

Storyhouse have today also announced the recruitment of a Creative Director in the wake of Alex’s departure, along with a new senior programming role.  Andrew added “Alex has been huge. No one human could do his job. We’re now open for business for some more amazing talent.” 

Recruitment for both roles will begin in the coming weeks.

About Storyhouse   

Storyhouse is one of the UK’s foremost cultural charities, its home in Chester incorporates a library, theatres and a cinema. 

It is one of the country’s most successful arts buildings, with more than one million customer visits each year. The pioneering new library within Storyhouse, where members of the community work alongside city librarians, boasts the longest opening hours of any UK public library and is open every day until 11pm. It runs over 2,000 sessions a year for marginalised communities. 

It is also an acclaimed theatre producer and runs the country’s most successful regional open-air theatre, in the city’s Grosvenor Park and Moonlight Flicks open air cinema and Drive-In. Storyhouse currently holds the official title as the UK’s Most Welcoming Theatre and was the overall national winner in the 2018 Guardian Public Service Awards. 

Website: http://www.storyhouse.com  

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Pictured - Artistic Director Alex Clifton.