Abigail Morris Appointed Artistic Director and CEO of Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts

Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts has today announced its new Artistic Director and CEO will be Abigail Morris, former Director and Chief Executive of the Jewish Museum and Artistic Director of Soho Theatre.

In a successful and broad-ranging career as a creative practitioner and arts leader, Abigail's previous roles include Founder and Artistic Director of Trouble and Strife Theatre Company, and Visiting Fellow in Theatre at Cambridge University. As Artistic Director and CEO of Soho Theatre from 1992 to 2005, Abigail was responsible for building Soho Theatre in Dean Street, and for making it a leading commissioning venue, helping launch the careers of writers including Matt Charman, Chris Chibnell, Tanika Gupta, Laura Wade and Amanda Whittington.

Most recently as Director and Chief Executive of the Jewish Museum, Abigail created an award winning public programme and introduced innovative community engagement programmes with exhibitions including Jews, Money, Myth (winner of the 2019 Museums Change Lives Award), Blood: Uniting and Dividing which toured to Warsaw and Krakow and was nominated as the Polish Cultural event of 2017, and Amy Winehouse - a Family Portrait.

Incoming Mountview Chair, Dame Rosemary Squire, who led the recruitment panel, commented:

We are delighted to appoint Abigail Morris as Mountview's Artistic Director and CEO. Abigail is an outstanding leader who has grown organisations including Soho Theatre and the Jewish Museum to great acclaim. She is a visionary and innovative creative practitioner committed to the highest principles of vocational training who has developed two successful theatre companies and helped shape the careers of many leading British theatre makers.

Abigail Morris, who will replace out-going joint CEOs Stephen Jameson and Sarah Preece when they step down in December 2021, commented:

I am hugely excited to be taking on this position at one of the UK's leading drama schools. I look forward to building on the incredible work that Stephen and Sarah have done so that Mountview continues to develop its wonderful combination of inclusive accessibility with the highest possible standards. I want the new building in Peckham to be fizzing with creative energy and be proudly local at the same time as having a national and international profile. Mountview and its students have an enviable reputation for excellence and I can't wait to start working with all the Mountview team to discover and develop the talent of the future.