Rupert Thomson Appointed as Head, Artistic Programmes (AHL Venues)

Arts House Limited (AHL) is proud to welcome Rupert Thomson on board as the new Head of Artistic Programmes (AHL Venues). Previously helming Performance and Dance at Southbank Centre in London, Thomson brings with him a wealth of expertise in presenting major international artists and local talents across a diverse range of art forms within the UK’s largest art centre. Thomson officially started his role in November to continue curating AHL’s robust calendar of programmes across its five venues.

Rupert Thomson, Head of Artistic Programmes, AHL Venues

Thomson has established a prolific track record in curating and co-curating major art festivals such as the Festival of Love and Unlimited, an arts festival commissioning and celebrating disabled artists worldwide. He also oversaw the Fringe programmes at Summerhall, a multi-arts venue in Edinburgh, in which he was widely credited with reinvigorating the world’s biggest arts festival. His extensive network within the international arts landscape and keen eye for innovative, trailblazing art will empower AHL’s successful repertoire of programmes to feature even more diverse and exciting work.

The role will leverage on Thomson’s strength in curating vibrant programming that can transform venues into iconic platforms for art. During his tenure at Southbank, he spearheaded the development of the Royal Festival Hall roof as an iconic site-specific performance space. At Summerhall, his vision and partnership-building quickly established a sprawling historical building into one of the most exciting arts venues in the city. His strategic expertise in sparking dialogue through art will be a key asset to develop each of the five unique enclaves and art spaces, contributing to the profile of the AHL Group brand.

Thomson is also an accomplished arts practitioner himself as the founder and director of Eleven, an award-winning artmaking and programming company formed in 2011. He also writes text for performance and discussion which have been presented at the Edinburgh Art Festival, Victoria and Albert Museum, and Zacheta National Gallery of Contemporary Art in Poland among other venues. As a journalist, he has written for publications including the Scotsman, the Berlin Review of Books, and the List. He also worked for three years as Editor of The Skinny, a magazine for independent cultural journalism in Scotland.

About Arts House Limited

Arts House Limited (AHL) is a not-for-profit organisation committed to enriching lives through the arts. AHL manages two key landmarks located in the heart of Singapore’s Civic District – The Arts House, a multidisciplinary arts centre with a focus on literary programming, and the Victoria Theatre & Victoria Concert Hall, a heritage building that is home to the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. It also runs the Aliwal Arts Centre and Goodman Arts Centre, two creative enclaves for artists, arts groups and creative businesses, and performing arts space Drama Centre. AHL presents the Singapore International Festival of Arts, the annual pinnacle celebration of interdisciplinary arts in Singapore commissioned by the National Arts Council.

AHL was set up in 11 December 2002 as a company limited by guarantee (CLG) under the National Arts Council and was formerly known as The Old Parliament House Limited. It was officially renamed Arts House Limited on 19 March 2014.

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