New Chairman Appointed At ArtsEd

Kevin McGrath OBE has a background in the arts and charity world

ArtsEd has announced Kevin McGrath OBE as the new Chairman of the Board. The performing arts school is about to celebrate its Centenary year and is currently undergoing a major building programme to expand its facilities.

Kevin is Founder and Chair of the McGrath Charitable Trust, the Chair of UNITED in Hammersmith and Fulham Charity, Trustee of The Old Vic Theatre, Vice Chair and co-founder of The Clink Prison Restaurant Charity - the first and only public restaurant to be built inside working British prisons, Co-Founder and Chair of The Islamix Foundation, and Vice Chair of the QPR Sport in the Community Trust, to name a few.

In 2016, Kevin was awarded an OBE for Services to Charities. He was also The High Sheriff of the County of Greater London in 2014-15 and is the Representative Deputy Lieutenant for the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Kevin was awarded an Honorary Degree award of the Doctor of the University from the University of Surrey in 2017 in recognition of an outstanding contribution to the arts.

Kevin said: “My passion lies in supporting programmes which provide young people with the opportunity to enhance their life chances and flourish. So, I am delighted to be joining the Board at ArtsEd and helping this diverse and outstanding organisation continue to deliver their world-class performing arts training across the UK and internationally. I am particularly keen to see through the £20million renewal of the ArtsEd building to provide world-leading accommodation for our students and the local community.”

ArtsEd Principal, Chris Hocking said: “We are immensely proud of having Kevin join the Board at ArtsEd. His track record of success and positive contribution to the arts is extraordinary, as is his passion for transforming the lives of those who are underprivileged.

“Kevin’s leadership across the Board will be integral in maintaining our reputation as the highest-ranking performing arts school in the United Kingdom – and consistently sitting in the top five schools and colleges for creative education in the UK.”

July 2, 2019