Keisha Thompson has been appointed artistic director and CEO of Contact in Manchester. At only 32, she will be the first woman, first Mancunian, and the youngest to run the multidisciplinary arts venue.
As the theatre marks its 50th anniversary this summer, Keisha sees it as a pivotal moment to elevate the work and projects happening at Contact - which she describes as a ‘castle of curiosity’. The new boss, who is a poet and producer, has long been connected to the Oxford Road theatre, and has performed there since she was 15.
Keisha first discovered poetry in primary school with the encouragement of her teachers, who introduced her to renowned poets and had her write her own work. She remembers reciting Talking Turkeys by Benjamin Zephaniah as a child.
