New Artistic Director for Everyman

The Everyman has appointed a new artistic director. Sophie Motley is due to take over in January 2021 after a competitive recruitment process.

Sophie was born in England but has worked and studied in Ireland from 2002 to 2016. Currently she is Artistic Director of Pentabus, the UK’s national rural theatre company.

Denis McSweeney, Chair of The Everyman Board, said: “We are very pleased and quite excited to welcome Sophie Motley to our team as Artistic Director. Sophie is no stranger to us: she brings a wealth of experience from her previous rich assignments to her new role.

“In making this appointment, the board was quite taken with Sophie's vision for The Everyman and how she will address, and grow, the many audiences which our theatre commands. The current difficulty encountered in dealing with the pandemic places limits on what we can attempt on stage; but it also sets challenges to our creativity in how we commit to remaining continually relevant to our audiences. We are confident that Sophie will lead the further development of The Everyman in its position as the beating heart of theatre in Cork.”

Sophie said: “I am utterly thrilled to be returning home to Ireland to work with the fantastic team at The Everyman, alongside the extraordinary selection of artists working and emerging across Cork. I can't wait to get started working with the team to develop a programme of work for a new post-Covid era with emerging and established artists locally, nationally, and internationally.”

whilst developing new relationships with unheard communities across Cork and beyond.”

Whilst this is a difficult time, The Everyman has ever been a beacon, providing imagination and entertainment for its audiences, work for its artists, whilst nurturing ideas for the future.