Lowry Spokespeople
The Lowry's enterprise is to open the door to enjoyment and enrichment for all, through high quality delivery of a broad range of arts, entertainment and life long learning in a unique environment.
Julia Fawcett is responsible for the continued commercial success of The Lowry by expanding the businesses, which underpin the project. As a strong business leader, she is striving to meet both cultural and commercial aims, whilst continuing to maintain the venue's popular appeal. Before joining The Lowry, Julia was Chief Executive of another major Millennium success, Dynamic Earth in Scotland, and is originally from Ordsall in Salford.
Julia was appointed in March 2002 and came to The Lowry in May 2002. She has an excellent track record in managing successful businesses in the leisure industries including Granada Studios in Manchester. Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh is one of Scotland's leading visitor attractions and one of the most successful science-based millennium projects in the UK.
Felicity Goodey, who was The Lowry's chairman at the time, was delighted to have appointed Julia who demonstrated an ability to not only run and develop a commercially successful attraction but to maintain and enhance the integrity of a culturally based project.
On her appointment Julia Fawcett commented: "The Lowry Project represents an enormously complex business which is a terrifically exciting challenge. I have been greatly impressed with what has been achieved to date and look forward to joining a talented and committed team and working with them to take the project on to further successes."
Rod Aldridge, Chairman of The Lowry Trustees, had this to say following the announcement that Julia had been recognised in the 2010 New Year Honours List.
‘I am delighted that Julia has been awarded an OBE for her services to the Arts in the Queen’s 2010 New Year Honours, giving public recognition to the hard work and commitment she has put into developing The Lowry as a successful and vibrant cultural institution for Salford, the North West and beyond. The Lowry's enterprise is to open the door to enjoyment and enrichment for all, through high quality delivery of a broad range of arts, entertainment and life long learning, a vision that Julia continues to reflect and advocate on a daily basis.’
Robert Robson
Artistic Director, The Lowry
Robert leads on the development and programming of all three artistic strands at The Lowry - theatre, galleries and community and education.
The Lowry has three auditoria plus additional public spaces including the foyers and open-air plaza. The award-winning programme for these spaces includes the full range of drama, opera, ballet, dance, musicals, children’s shows, jazz, comedy, popular and folk music. In addition, Robert is responsible for The Lowry’s commissioning and producing activities and development of new and emerging artists and companies in its innovative Studio which he also leads.
The Lowry’s exhibitions programme mixes the best of LS Lowry with modern contemporary work, historical art, and most recently exhibitions which bring in a new family audience to the galleries.
Robert is ultimately responsible for the organisation’s extensive education, outreach and community engagement activity and, in this context, led the development of The Lowry’s Centre for Advanced Training (CAT) and Youth Dance England (YDE) initiatives, thus consolidating its role as a significant regional centre for dance.
Robert comes from Scotland and studied at Glasgow University and University College, Cardiff. He worked extensively in community theatre and in 1983 became Artistic Director of Cumbernauld Theatre, a multi-purpose theatre presenting a wide variety of work and promoting community involvement. In 1990 he became Festival Director of Mayfest, Britain’s second biggest arts festival, presenting work across all the art forms and programming and commissioning the best international and British work. In 1994, he became first the Theatre Director of His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen and then General Manager of Performing Arts Venues for Aberdeen City Council.
Robert Robson joined The Lowry in 1998 as Theatres Director and in early 2003, was appointed Artistic Director of the award-winning arts complex for visual and performing arts.
Externally, Robert has recently served on a number of dance-related Arts Council working groups and is currently Chair of Phoenix Dance Theatre and a board member of the International Society for the Performing Arts.
David Fry, Head of Theatres Programming
Born in Shropshire and raised in Liverpool David studied German and Psychology at Oxford Brookes University and after a period travelling around Europe and teaching began a career in programming in Liverpool where he was General Manager at the city’s Neptune Theatre. He successfully ran the city’s comedy festival in 1996 and positioned the Neptune as one of the country’s leading venues for comedy, music and pantomime. As Director of Programming at South Hill Park Arts Centre from 1998 – 2000, David was responsible for drama, dance, film, visual arts and the Bracknell Festival.
David joined The Lowry as Theatres Programmer in 2000 and is now Head of Theatres Programming, responsible for jointly programming The Lowry’s three theatres - the Lyric (1730 seats) Quays (447) and Studio (140). He was instrumental in The Lowry’s first foray into producing, with a UK tour of Taboo – The Boy George Musical – which, in partnership with Fiery Angel, toured the UK for 26 weeks with a five week run at The Lowry.
Michael Simpson, Head of Visual Arts and Engagement
Michael Simpson has previously worked in three national museums and galleries – The Walker Art Gallery (National Museums Liverpool) as Keeper of Fine Art; The National Museum of Photography, Film and Television (now the National Media Museum) and Imperial War Museum North as Head of Exhibitions. He was also at The Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester as Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art. He has organised numerous exhibitions on a variety of themes, including In The Mind’s Eye: British Surrealism in the 1930s; The Art of Paul McCartney; and The Greater Game: Sport & War.