Angus’ appointment follows Jane Hytch’s decision to stand down as Chief Executive after 18 years. Founded in 2005, the original founding directors of Imagineer had the imagination, initiative and enthusiasm to see that arts, culture and creative industries had a real and growing role to play in Coventry and Warwickshire’s future.
John McGuigan, Chair of the Board at Imagineer said: “Angus comes to us with a wealth of experience and commitment to help progress the work that Jane Hytch and her colleagues started many years ago. As Chair of Imagineer I am hugely pleased that Imagineer has been able to attract someone of Angus’s ability and knowledge to lead our executive team as we move forward.”
Peter Knott, Midlands Area Director, Arts Council England said: “We’re delighted to welcome Angus MacKechnie as the new Creative Director and Chief Executive at Imagineer. The company has come a long way since its early days 18-years ago and its projects and community engagement is celebrated at a local, national and international level. I must pay tribute to Jane Hytch, who as a founding member of Imagineer, has built strong foundations for the next step in its journey from its new home in the redeveloped Daimler Powerhouse.”
Jane Hytch, Founder Member and current CEO Imagineer said: “I am immensely proud of what Imagineer has achieved over the last 18 years both in terms of how we’ve been a part of a growing cultural sector in Coventry – and beyond – and in terms of the many participants, audiences who we’ve had meaningly engagement with through a range of projects.
“Having secured NPO Status for Imagineer and completing the first phase of the redevelopment of The Daimler Powerhouse now is the time for me to hand on the baton and I know that Angus brings the right skills, enthusiasm and vision to continue to move the organisation forward.”
Angus MacKechnie said: “I am thrilled to be joining Imagineer to lead it through the next stages of its ambitious and exciting journey. I’ve spent so much time in Coventry over the years, chasing performances down the streets, running into culture in unlikely places and getting to know the inspiring creative community – so to be part of such an inventive city feels like a natural homecoming.
“I already love the Powerhouse and am honoured to be inheriting such a robust organisation and a building with amazing creative potential from Jane and her colleagues; my ambitions and aspirations for Imagineer are bold and big and I’m looking forward to ensuring that the organisation consolidates its place on the local, national and international cultural map. Exciting adventures ahead…”
Angus MacKechnie is the Director of OutdoorArtsUK. Previously he worked at the National Theatre in London for over thirty years, serving under five different directorships and running a wide variety of projects, largely related to audience engagement. He became Producer and Programmer of two National Theatre departments: the Watch This Space Festival of Outdoor Arts and entertainment and the Platform programme of talks, debates, playreadings and interviews. He produced the NT2000 project, which charted 100 years of English-speaking theatre, the NT50 series, marking the theatre’s fiftieth anniversary and wrote and co-produced the gala for Laurence Olivier’s centenary.
