New Earth Theatre appoints Artistic Director

​​New Earth Theatre has named AILIN CONANT Artistic Director (AD), replacing outgoing AD KUMIKO MENDL.

The theatre company presents and develops with British East and South East Asian (BESEA) artists. 

A Japanese-American freelance director, Conant is currently Associate Director on My Neighbour Totoro with the RSC and Improbable and is the founding AD of Theatre Témoin. She is a board member of SDUK and Projekt Europa. 

Previously, Conant directed for New Earth’s Typhoon Festival and has also worked with the Royal Court and Bush Theatre, as well as internationally at Kansas City Rep in the USA and Ayyam Al-Masrah in Gaza. 

Conant, who takes up post later this month, commented: "Under Kumiko’s leadership, New Earth has forged lasting pathways into the industry for BESEA artists for over a decade.

"In recent years, our industry has become better networked and more self-aware, and New Earth has been a pioneer in this period both onstage and off.

"I am excited and determined to build on this work to develop authentic and reciprocal partnerships which drive change for all underrepresented groups while elevating BESEA artists, companies, and aesthetics within the UK theatre ecology.”

Mendl added: "Ailin will be a powerful asset and advocate for the BESEA sector, and I know she will bring her many talents, passion, commitment, creativity and experience to the company and the role it plays in our theatre ecology."