A leading figure at a major arts venue in the north of England has today been announced as the new chief executive of Norwich Theatre Royal.
Stephen Crocker will succeed outgoing chief executive Peter Wilson, who is leaving the venue in December after 25 years at the helm.
Mr Crocker will take up the post in January, moving from his current position as deputy chief executive of The Lowry, a leading cross-arts organisation in Salford and which is described as the most visited cultural venue in the north west of England.
Mr Crocker said: 'I am thrilled to be joining the team at Theatre Royal and leading the next chapter in the incredible history of this much-loved venue.
'With the imminent launch of Stage Two, which will be a huge asset for local people, this is an exciting time to join the organisation and it is an honour to build upon the remarkable legacy of Peter Wilson.
'Norwich is a truly modern heritage city with an incredibly vibrant cultural scene and I am excited to make it my home.
'I am looking forward to meeting audiences and partners across Norwich and Norfolk as we cement the city and county as leading cultural destinations in the UK.'
During his nine years at The Lowry Mr Crocker has led a number of major projects including: the venue's award-winning learning and engagement programme; developing and establishing Quays Culture, an outdoor digital arts programme at MediaCityUK; and raising £5.5million for the recent completion of The Lowry's 2020 Project.
Michael Newey, chairman of the trustees of Norwich Theatre Royal, said: 'We are looking forward to welcoming Stephen to the team and working with him to build on Peter's tremendous legacy both in the Theatre Royal and county. Stephen has an impressive track record in the cultural sector in London and more recently Manchester and we are very confident that he is the right person for the challenges we face over the years ahead.'
Mr Crocker, who is originally from South Wales, studied at both the Universities of London and Paris before pursuing an international career as a professional classical singer. He also held the positions of a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal and a Lay Clerk of Manchester Cathedral.
His first role in the cultural sector was at St Martin-in-the-Fields, in London, where he was part of the four-person team raising funds for the £36million Renewal of St Martin-in-the-Fields.
His next role took him to Manchester as head of development at Manchester Camerata before he joined The Lowry in 2007.
During his time at The Lowry Mr Crocker progressed from development director to deputy chief executive, leading major programmes of work and securing Arts Charity of the Year at the National Charity Awards for The Lowry in 2015.
Mr Crocker is also currently a trustee of the Albert Kennedy Trust and a board member of Maggie's Manchester.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here