Kully Thiarai to step down from National Theatre Wales

Kully Thiarai is to step down from her role as artistic director of National Theatre Wales, it has been announced.

Thiarai is to leave the company at the end of the year to become creative director of Leeds 2023.

Thiarai joined National Theatre Wales in May 2016, having been founding director of Cast. In her past career she has led organisations including Leicester Haymarket Theatre, Theatre Writing Partnership and Red Ladder Theatre.

Thiarai commented: " I want to say a huge thank you to all the brilliant staff, artists, organisations and communities that I have had the privilege to work with whilst at NTW. I'm proud of the work that we have collectively created, from the epic to the intimate, and have every confidence that the next 10 years for the company will be as vibrant and extraordinary as the last."

She added: "I am thrilled to be returning to Yorkshire to take up the post of creative director for Leeds 2023. A place that had been home to me for many years prior to coming to Wales. Leeds was in fact the place where my theatre career started when Red Ladder Theatre Company invited me to come and work for them in the late 1980s. It was always going to have to be something special to entice me away from the extraordinary company that is National Theatre Wales. To lead the cultural year for Leeds 2023 is that special something – a once in a lifetime opportunity to return to my roots and play my part in inspiring a whole new generation of artists and audiences."

Clive Jones, chair of NTW said: "Kully has led NTW with great style, elan and commitment over the last three years and we will be very sorry to lose her."

The search is underway to find Thiarai's successor.