Kwame Kwei-Armah to step down as artistic director of the Young Vic

Kwame Kwei-Armah will step down as artistic director of the Young Vic.

Kwei-Armah announced the news this morning alongside his new season – which features two musicals making premieres on UK shores and a production of The Little Foxes. 

He explained his decision in a statement: “It’s been the honour of a lifetime to lead the Young Vic and I have been served magnificently by the team at the Arts Council, the Board and all of my colleagues. I step down knowing that our team and artists are representative of London and that we have continued the theatre’s incredible contribution to this industry and our community.

“The three pillars that have guided my tenure have been innovation, access and community, and I’m proud of all that we have achieved. But it is a bittersweet moment. The painful reality is I am leaving a subsidised sector where 13 years of standstill funding is taking its toll. For decades the theatre industry has fuelled the UK’s world-renowned creative industries, providing vital pathways for artists to flourish, going from subsidised theatre, into the West End, and into TV and film. But without investment, we could lose this pipeline of talent within a generation. I’m hopeful that this can and must change but it needs sincere government intervention.”

The director and performer joined the organisation in 2018, and has directed a host of productions during that time.