New Creative Director for Manchester NPO

ANNA VU THOMPSON has been appointed Creative Director of Community Arts North West (CAN) in Greater Manchester.

A producer and theatremaker, Thompson joins the Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation from the Museum of the Home in London, where she has been the Community Engagement Producer since 2021. There, she developed a new programme supporting Vietnamese and Southeast Asian voices.

She has worked as a producer with The Dukes and an Associate Producer at HOME. Between 2015 and 2018, she was co-Founder and Artistic Director of Trikhon Theatre. 

Vu Thompson said: “CAN is renowned regionally and nationally for its pioneering approach to socially engaged practice. The company has a long history of working with the diverse communities of Greater Manchester and championing artists, many of whom are new migrants or have experienced forced migration.

“My journey now takes me to CAN, where I will learn from communities, artists, and colleagues. I look forward to finding my place at CAN and the city of Manchester, which is a powerhouse of creativity in the UK.”

DENIS SKELTON, Chair of Community Arts North West’s Board of Directors, said: “We’re very excited that Anna is joining the company as its Creative Director. Anna’s work is grounded in the principles of co-creation and collaboration with the global majority artists, communities, and other groups that are too often excluded from the arts. “ 

JEN CLEARY, Director, North, Arts Council England, added: “CAN has a longstanding and important track record in championing creative access, opportunity and talent development for all. Anna’s experience working with diverse communities nationwide to create truly engaging theatre makes her brilliantly placed to take CAN forward into the future.”