Katy Snelling Appointed as Director of Programming & Creative Partnerships at Oxford Playhouse

Katy Snelling will be rejoining the Oxford Playhouse as Director of Programming and Creative Partnerships this Spring. 

Katy will take up the position in March as part of the Senior Management Team, curating the artistic programme for The Playhouse and developing new relationships with partners across Oxford, with a focus on developing new creative and cultural experiences for all.

With a wealth of experience, Snelling previously worked at Oxford Playhouse from 2012 to 2017, serving as the theatre's programmer before becoming its Programme Director. She has worked across the industry for the past 16 years in small, studio and mid-scale venues, as well as programming performance work in non-theatre settings including libraries, outdoors and community venues.

She rejoins The Playhouse team from Farnham Maltings where she has been the Strategic Lead for the house southeast theatre network, supporting theatres and arts centres to develop audiences and create a long-term infrastructure for touring. She is also the Buckinghamshire Producer for Rekindle, a national project funded by Arts Council England supporting Library services to deliver cultural experiences.

Snelling takes up the role under the Artistic Direction and leadership of Mike Tweddle, who joined the organisation in Autumn 2023, supported by new Executive Director Marianne Jacques.

Commenting on Snelling's appointment, Tweddle said I'm thrilled to welcome Katy back to the Oxford Playhouse team. Her extensive experience and knowledge as a programmer, along with her passion for developing artists and audiences, will offer an enormous contribution at this exciting time for our organisation. When I was lucky enough to be part of Oxford Playhouse's Evolve scheme in 2015, Katy was an inspirational mentor to me, so I can't wait to be working together in this new way.”

On taking up her new position, Snelling said “I'm delighted to be rejoining the team at Oxford Playhouse and working with Mike Tweddle, Marianne Jacques, and the whole team. The Playhouse's vision of a Playhouse for Everyone has inspired me for many years and I'm looking forward to bringing the best mid-scale performances to Oxford audiences and developing meaningful, creative collaborations with partners across the city so that everybody can get involved with culture.”

Snelling programmed Hall for Cornwall's reopening season after their £26million refurbishment and has also worked for Royal and Derngate, Pegasus Theatre, Nuffield Southampton Theatres and The Theatre Chipping Norton. She has acted as a mentor for artists and companies, was a programming associate for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and co-chairs the Theatre for Young Audiences Consortium with Chris Elwell from Half Moon Theatre.

Oxford Playhouse is one of the country's leading regional theatres, showcasing international, national, regional, amateur and student companies, with over 850 events per year, including its own productions to bring inspirational performance to Oxfordshire. Alongside the artistic programme is an exciting and diverse programme of creative learning, outreach work & participatory activity which engages with around 20,000 people each year. Designed to inspire, connect, and support, the programme places particular focus on young people, developing artists and playwrights and those adversely affected by social and educational inequality in the city and region.

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