The Gate Theatre Announces Four New Associate Artists

The Gate Theatre announced today the addition of four new Associate Artists to join the company from June 2022.

The new Associates are Climate Change Activist, Daze Aghaji; Poet and Writer Zia Ahmed; Writer, Director and Performer Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu; and Director and Dramaturg John R. Wilkinson. They will be joining Associate Artist Rosie Elnile and Associate Director Yasmin Hafesji at the theatre.

They join the Gate over the next few months to work closely alongside Interim Artistic Director Stef O'Driscoll at this crucial time in the Gate's story. The Associate Artists represent a rich and diverse selection of leading change-makers and each brings a unique set of skills to help the company fulfil its artistic vision, as the Gate progresses in its search for a new physically accessible home.

Interim Artistic Director, Stef O'Driscoll said: "I am hyped to welcome these incredible humans as part of the Gate's new artistic team. Each of these brilliant minds care passionately about social justice, talent development and how an arts venue can tell global stories that speak to its local community. They value the role of culture in mitigating the climate emergency and want to interrogate the relationship between race and class in some of the UK's most deprived multicultural areas. This team will be pivotal in steering the direction of artistic output at the Gate through collective thinking. We are excited to support them to nurture their ambitions, pilot new processes and push their creative boundaries. And this is just the beginning. We look forward to more upcoming partnerships with International Artists. Watch this space."

ASSOCIATE ARTISTS BIOGRAPHIES

Daze Aghaji is a London based Youth Climate Justice Activist who centres on Regenerative Cultures, Intersectionality, Radical Social Justice and Youth Political Engagement in her work. Described by The Guardian as "a ball of energy, conviction and warmth", Daze's advocacy for racial systemic change has led her to work with many leading charities, institutions, governments, and grassroots change-makers globally. In 2019, she became the youngest candidate to stand in a European Parliamentary election and ran under the banner of a Climate and Ecological Emergency Independent to bring awareness to the need for political will in addressing the climate crisis. She has strong ties with the climate movement Extinction Rebellion since its early days and she was a founding member of the movement's youth branch. Daze is currently a Creative Director at Earthrise Studio, a creative agency dedicated to communicating the climate crisis as well as an Artist in Residence at Phytology, the Bethnal Green Nature Reserve. Daze's work is rooted in deep love, duty and care for all life; she continues to passionately organise with many grassroots campaigns and organisations.

Zia Ahmed is a poet and writer hailing from North-West London. He is part of the London Laureates, having been shortlisted for London's Young Poet Laureate 2015/16. He is a former Roundhouse Slam Champion and a Writer in Residence at Paines Plough as part of Channel 4's Playwright Scheme 2017. In 2018 he was chosen to be a part of the Bush Theatre's Emerging Writers Group. In 2019, Zia's stage debut I Wanna Be Yours premiered at the Bush Theatre. He is a recipient of The Royal Court Theatre Jerwood New Playwrights Programme 2021.

Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu is a Queer Black British-born Ghanaian cultivated by South London. He is a writer and director with a practice that specializes in storytelling, physicality, manipulation of music, breaking the fourth wall and exercising the imagination of both actor and audience. He has made work for the Royal Court, Young Vic, Bush Theatre, Guildhall School of Music & Drama among others, and performed at The National Theatre. In 2019, he won the JMK Award for directing and presented the 5-star revival of Arinze Kene's Little Baby Jesus. He is the co-director of the trailblazing For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy by Ryan Calais Cameron.

John R. Wilkinson is a theatre director and dramaturg with interests in new writing, modern classics, and international work. He is the tenth recipient of the Genesis Future Directors Award at the Young Vic and trained on The National Theatre Directors' Course. In February 2022 his production of Mugabe, My Dad and Me by Tonderai Munyevu transferred to London as the inaugural show at Brixton House. He is an Associate Director at York Theatre Royal and for NT Connections and was previously Agent for Change at Leeds Playhouse. He is a trustee of several organizations including Middle Child and Stage Directors UK.

To post a comment, you must register and login.