Our Patron
Our Patron For Children and Community Groups –
Dr Kwame Kwei-Armah OBE
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Kwame Kwei-Armah OBE is Artistic Director of the Young Vic theatre. He was Artistic Director of Baltimore Centerstage (2011-18) and Artistic Director of the Festival of Black Arts and Culture, Senegal (2010), where he wrote and directed the opening ceremony at Senghor stadium. As a playwright, Kwame was the first African Caribbean to have a play produced in London’s West End (Elmina’s Kitchen). His triptych of plays was produced at the National Theatre, where he later created the online resource The Black Play Archive. Kwame was Chancellor of the University of the Arts, London (2010-2015), is Patron of Ballet Black, and The Black Cultural Archives, Chair of Warwick Arts Centre Advisory Board and Fellow of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University. Kwame was awarded an OBE for Services to Drama in 2011, and in 2020 listed as one of 100 Great Black Britons.
The life and professional achievements of Ann-marie and Sarah are so perfectly aligned with the aims and objectives of Creative Awakenings that I could not refuse when asked to be a patron. Their evident dedication to the development of ALL of our children and community groups makes this enterprise more than worthy; it makes it vital.