Almiro Andrade appointed new Chair of Trustees of Stanley Arts
Stanley Arts is delighted to announce a new appointment to its Board of Trustees. As of 11 September 2023, Almiro Andrade will start as Chair of the Board at Stanley Arts, bringing their expertise in performing arts and commitment to the organisation’s ambitious expansion and development of relationships with chosen communities in South London and beyond.
Almiro Andrade
Speaking on their experience and appointment, Almiro said “I have a career in performing arts not only as a performer, but also as an educator that spans over 25 years both in the UK and abroad, with the last 6 of those years as the Chair of the Board of Trustees of StoneCrabs Theatre Company, which I joined as an artistic associate in 2011. As a black queer latinx foreign-born British artist, I have seen the incredible advancements in diversity and inclusion in the UK artistic landscape over the past decade, but I believe there is much more to be done.
I believe I will take forward the robust and well-developed vision and strategy developed at Stanley Arts by my fantastic predecessor, Cameron McLeod, and our wonderful Artistic Director and CEO, Dr. Daniel Winder – building on its social purpose to engage with communities of artists of colour and LGBTQ+ creatives, in South London and beyond. I know I will be able to use my experience to support Stanley Arts and our skilled board of trustees, making sure to continue to nourish and strengthen up the networks that are important for a venue such as this to thrive, but also developing new ones as to corroborate for the charity’s expansion and more in-depth engagement with its core values.”
Cameron McLeod, outgoing Chair of Stanley Arts said: “I am delighted to welcome Almiro to the Stanley Arts family as our new Chair of Trustees. They further expand and complement the performing and creative arts experience we already have on our board as well as bringing with them a track record as a successful Charity Chair.
It has been a wonderful privilege to lead Stanley Arts as Chair over the past seven years and to see its transformation from a micro-charity with a narrow focus into a much larger organisation with a clear vision to serve and represent both our geographic community in Croydon, as well as our chosen community of under-represented voices, including black, global majority, working-class, neuro-divergent and LGBTQI+ creatives. We have ambitious plans for the future and I am confident that Almiro, with the support of the board as well as Dan and the team will continue to create something special here in South Norwood.”
Dan Winder, Artistic Director/ CEO of Stanley Arts added: “I am delighted to welcome Almiro as our new chair of trustees. Almiro’s range of experience as a theatre maker and educator will bring a new level of expertise to our board, helping Stanley Arts as we continually strive to expand the range and ambition of our work. With our former chair Cameron McLeod staying on as Treasurer we will have the best of both worlds; with both continuity of purpose and the energy of new ideas guaranteed.”
Selected works
Almiro Andrade is a Lecturer in Contemporary Acting and Associate Lecturer in Dramaturgy and Performance for Film and Television at University of the Arts London. Their latest works include: Namibia, Não! by Aldri Anunciação at Soho Theatre; The Trial – tour with StoneCrabs Theatre; The Blind One and The Mad One by Cláudia Barral (IntiPress, 2021) produced by Foreign Affairs Theatre; Nelson Rodrigues: Selected Plays (Bloomsbury/Oberon, 2019).
