Christchurch Arts Strength Evidenced In New Court Theatre Chief Executive Appointment

The Court Theatre is excited to announce a respected arts leader in Christchurch will be its next Chief Executive. Current Executive Director of SCAPE Public Art, Richard Aindow, will soon take up the reins from outgoing Chief Executive of The Court Theatre, Gretchen La Roche, who is departing to lead New Zealand’s central government arts development agency, Creative New Zealand.

Chair of The Court Theatre’s board, Steve Wakefield, is delighted that the board found its new Chief Executive in Christchurch. “Richard has a wealth of experience working across the arts in New Zealand, with more than a decade spent leading arts organisations including SCAPE Public Art and Aotearoa’s longest running contemporary dance company, Footnote New Zealand Dance. Richard was unanimously chosen by our board from a strong pool of local and national applicants, and we are delighted to be working with him and the rest of the team at The Court Theatre in the coming years as we deliver our new strategic plan in our wonderful new central city home.”

Richard is thrilled to join The Court Theatre as its next Chief Executive. “It has been a huge privilege to lead SCAPE Public Art, and I am proud of how much the team is now delivering for the community. But as soon as I heard about the Chief Executive position at The Court Theatre, I knew I had to apply. The opportunity to lead this true taonga of the arts was an unmissable one, especially at this incredibly important time as the community is welcomed into its new home.

"I was lucky enough to have a tour of the new theatre spaces led by Artistic Advisor Ross Gumbley late last year. It was already clear then that the new theatre will be an incredible place for the performing arts and wider community that our region will be rightly proud of. But what I also felt was something familiar from my many years in the performing arts. Even with contractors working around us, the sense of endless possibilities and the magic that make theatres such special places was already in the air. I can’t wait to get started.”

Richard Aindow starts at The Court Theatre on Monday 23 June, following the departure of La Roche after the official opening of The Court Theatre in early May. Chair of The Court Theatre, Steve Wakefield, will act as Executive Chair during the interim period.

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