Partner Article

Dance City announces Catherine Johns as new Executive Director

Dance City - the North East’s leading development organisation for dance - has today announced the appointment of Catherine Johns as its new Executive Director. Catherine will work closely with Anand Bhatt, Artistic Director to play a lead role in taking forward Dance City’s organisational vision and aims in the next phase of its more than 30-year history.

As CEO of Kielder Observatory, Catherine Johns led the organisation through a period of significant transformation and growth through the COVID 19 pandemic, ensuring that the very special inspirational “Kielder moment” could be accessible to everyone. Prior to this, she was Director of the North East Centre of Excellence for Satellite Applications. While here, she built the fastest growing space cluster in the UK.

Catherine was instrumental in turning the North East Technology Park from ‘two buildings in a field’ to a £100M pioneering science park, was Vice-Chair of the United Kingdom Science Park Association, a Board Director of the International Association of Science Parks (IASP), founded Women in IASP, and sat on the Women’s Advisory Board for the North East Chamber of Commerce. A Board member for the Campaign for Science and Engineering, Catherine is on the national evaluation panel for Strength in Places, Innovate UK’s £300M innovation fund. Catherine also brings significant arts experience to the role, having been an advisor to Southpaw Dance Company and Dora Frankel Dance for many years, a trustee for Helix Arts and a Director for Generator North East.

Anand Bhatt, Artistic Director / Joint CEO said: “We are delighted to welcome Catherine Johns to Dance City. She is hugely passionate about dance and incredibly knowledgeable about business – two perfect ingredients. Catherine’s wide-ranging skills and experience will be a huge asset to our organisation. The whole organisation is really looking forward to working with her to shape this next chapter at Dance City.”

Catherine Johns commented: “Dance City has been a constant in my life, ever since I came to study at Newcastle University, from taking classes to enjoying memorable performances to working with the amazing dancers and choreographers based here in the North East. I’m very much looking forward to supporting the team to develop the organisation.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Nicky Mckeen .