After a nationwide search, Aberdeen Arts Centre has appointed its first director.
The newly-created role will be taken up by Amy Liptrott, who was most recently associate director of Pitlochry Festival Theatre.
Amy will be responsible for guiding the future of the popular arts venue which plays an important part in the city centre masterplan.
The upcoming redevelopment of Queen Street earmarks the area as a cultural hub, designed to attract people back into the centre of the city.
In her new role, Amy will lead Aberdeen Arts Centre’s ambitious plans to rejuvenate the iconic venue, while maintaining its heritage and keeping the community at its heart.
Originally from Bolton, Amy trained at the University of Sheffield and the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. She then became the head of drama at Bolton School Boys’ Division, one of the north of England’s leading educational institutions.
‘Learning never stops’ says new Aberdeen Arts Centre director
After a successful career as a harpist and educationalist, she moved to dedicate her time to theatre. She worked at Manchester International Festival and the Octagon Theatre in Bolton before she joined the Pitlochry Festival Theatre team in 2019.
Amy is now looking forward to starting her new role today (Monday October 3) at the Aberdeen Arts Centre which was founded in 1963 and was Scotland’s first established community arts venue.
She said: “I am really excited to be taking up the role and I’m looking forward to guiding the creative and commercial success of the venue.
“The future for the arts centre depends on it remaining relevant and a hub for creativity and education while maintaining its financial sustainability.
“I wholeheartedly believe that learning never stops. I’m keen to bring that ethos to Aberdeen Arts Centre and continue its heritage as a place of learning that inspires this generation and the next.”
Championing creativity
One of her main goals will be to encourage locals to “find joy in being creative”.
“Expressing ourselves creatively is a fundamentally human thing to do. From telling stories around a camp fire, to playing instruments, to choosing our social media profile pictures, humans have always sought to explore what it means to be human.
“By creating and supporting theatre as well as music, dance, art and crafts, we can encourage and develop the creative options we have to express ourselves and encourage everyone to find joy in being creative.”
Conversation