Vicki is a leading practitioner of circus, theatre and outdoor arts. As Artistic Director of Upswing, a leading contemporary circus company, she has a long history of working closely with the Albany and in the local area, and was previously an Associate Artist from 2010-2018. She was appointed as Associate Director in May 2021, to help deliver our ambitious programme for London Borough of Culture, overseeing hundreds of events spanning topics from climate action to migration and sanctuary. Through this new position as Creative Director, she will bring her rich expertise into the core Albany programme, ensuring the successes and momentum of this pivotal year have a meaningful legacy.
Vicki’s appointment comes shortly after we announced our 12 new Associate Artists for 2022, who will receive space, funding and mentoring to enable them to develop their practice, as well as playing a key part in decision-making. This feeds in to a greater ambition to give artists a greater stake in running our organisation and delivering our programme.
Creative Director, Vicki Amedume, said: “I am thrilled to be taking on this new position after working collaboratively with the Albany for many years. It is a venue that is very close to my heart, and I can’t wait to play a part in its future as we continue with, and emerge from, Lewisham’s Borough of Culture year. As an alumni of the Associate Artist scheme, I’m especially proud to be taking on this position at a time when the programme has been reinvigorated, and look forward to working alongside the 12 artists to develop new projects and create positive change across the wider organisation.”
CEO Gavin Barlow said: “Vicki has been an absolute asset to the Borough of Culture team here at the Albany, and I’m excited to have her on board as part of our core Senior Leadership team. Her ideas and insight, gained from many years working creatively in our local area, will be invaluable in our efforts to help transform the cultural and creative landscape of South East London. We are committed to welcoming artists into the heart of our organisation and I can’t wait to work alongside Vicki as we enter an exciting new era.”
Amedume will continue to work as Artistic Director of Upswing alongside her role as Creative Director at the Albany, which is effective from April 2022.
Photo by Femi Richard.