Alan Lyddiard to Step Down as Artistic Director of The Performance Ensemble

Alan Lyddiard, the founder and Artistic Director of The Performance Ensemble, will step down from his role on 5 October 2025, marking the end of a transformative chapter in the company’s history. Since founding the Ensemble in 2014, Lyddiard has led the company from a small-scale, project-based initiative to a nationally recognised organisation – the UK’s first National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) with a permanent collective of older artists at its core.

Background to The Performance Ensemble
The Performance Ensemble creates high-quality contemporary performances with people over 60, drawing from their own life experiences, hopes, and fears to craft work that resonates with audiences of all ages. Celebrating the fullness of life, the company’s performances explore vulnerability, resilience, and ageing. Rooted in the diverse communities of Leeds — a city that has pledged to become the ‘best place to grow old in’ — the Ensemble works both locally and internationally, championing co-creation, community collaboration, and inclusive artistic exchange.
Over the last decade, the Ensemble has become a pioneering force in contemporary theatre, challenging outdated narratives around age and putting older people centre stage. It is now widely recognised for its distinctive artistic vision and meaningful engagement with older artists, both professional and non-professional.

Alan Lyddiard said:
“I have had the privilege to be the Artistic Director of The Performance Ensemble, living in the great city of Leeds. It has been a joy to work with so many older people, exploring our collective and individual creativity, building lasting relationships, and making beautiful, powerful and meaningful pieces of theatre filled with stories, dance, music and life. Truly making art with the experience of age. I am incredibly grateful to all the amazing people I have worked with over the years.”

Under Lyddiard’s leadership, the Ensemble has delivered an acclaimed body of work that includes:

• Anniversary: A powerful debut production combining dance, theatre and music, featuring older performers and celebrating life near or past retirement.
• Sinfonia: A large-scale, co-created performance that premiered during the Ensemble’s takeover of Leeds Playhouse for Leeds 2023 and continues to evolve as a touring piece.
• 1001 Stories: A mass-participation storytelling project culminating alongside Sinfonia, showcasing stories from older people across the region.
• Promise of a Garden: A celebration of Leeds’ green spaces and creativity, reinforcing TPE’s commitment to community connection.
• International Work: Collaborations with Arts Options and the Centre of Community Cultural Development in Hong Kong, including Whispers of Life and Bench Encounters, highlight TPE’s dedication to global artistic exchange.

The decision for Alan’s departure comes as part of a planned succession strategy, outlined in the Ensemble’s successful NPO application. The company has taken great care in identifying the right moment for leadership transition, which aligns with the third year of its current Arts Council England funding agreement.

Co-Chairs of the Board, Carmel Langstaff and Roger Harington, said:
“We wish to express our admiration and gratitude for all that Alan has achieved. His leadership, creativity, and deep belief in the power of older people’s stories have shaped a truly unique company. We now look forward to supporting The Performance Ensemble to continue to grow and flourish in the years ahead.”

To ensure a smooth handover, Lyddiard will continue working with the company in a freelance capacity, overseeing a number of projects including the development of Sinfonia as a touring work, a social prescribing project in Bradford, and Bench Encounters, an intergenerational piece influenced by the global Friendship Bench movement.

A formal recruitment process will begin this summer to recruit a new Artistic Director for The Performance Ensemble with the vision and experience to build on Lyddiard’s legacy.

Alan Lyddiard, 76, is an award-winning theatre and film director, producer, and writer. Known for his ensemble theatre practice and long-standing commitment to community arts, he has worked across the UK, Europe, and internationally. Through The Performance Ensemble, he has redefined what creative ageing can look like on stage and beyond.

The Performance Ensemble has worked with older people at:

• Leeds Playhouse; Health For All (Beeston); Harehills Creative Women, Compton Centre, Thackray Museum; Chapel FM (Seacroft); Feel Good Factor (Chapeltown); Cardigan Community Centre (Burley); OWLS & HOPS (Hawksworth); Richmond Hill Elderly Action; Doncaster People’s Theatre, Cast Doncaster; Forum Theatre Barrow (via CPP BarrowFull); Age UK (Barrow, Leeds, Doncaster); Yorkshire Dance; Lychee Red, Vandan Group; Selby (North Yorkshire Council), and many more.

International partners include:

• Art Options and the Centre of Community Cultural Development (Hong Kong), where the Ensemble has led inclusive dance and intergenerational performance projects such as Whispers of Life and Bench Encounters.

Media Contact: Anita Morris Associates
anita@anitamorrisassociates.co.uk
01943 603311 / 07976 584592

www.theperformanceensemble.com