Matthew Parker takes over as artistic director of Hope Theatre

Matthew Parker has been announced as the new artistic director of the fledling 50-seat Hope Theatre in Islington.

Parker, who succeeds Adam Spreadbury-Maher in the role, will take up the position in October.

The Hope Theatre opened in November 2013 with a promise to pay all actors, stage management and box office staff the minimum wage, in an agreement with the performers' union Equity.

The venue has so far been home to ten new works, including Ushers the Musical which transferred to the Charing Cross Theatre.

Spreadbury-Maher, who is also artistic director of the nearby King's Head, commented: "We have had a fantastic first year at The Hope, we have created a season of important new work and have demonstrated that our experiment in paying all who work on the fringe can work."

Parker, who is currently artistic director of DogOrange, added: "Adam and the whole King’s Head Theatre team have done an amazing job in establishing The Hope Theatre as part of Islington’s thriving theatre scene and London's wider theatrical map and I look forward to working with exciting and innovative theatre companies and professionals in 2014 and beyond."