Ben Cooper-Melchiors (he/him) is Artsadmin’s Executive Director. He has produced unique, untested performance models with ambitious artists in theatre, dance, or technology; or led strategic direction, finance, and organisational resilience for hyperlocal and national arts organisations. He has provided admin or general management for Battersea Arts Centre, National Youth Theatre and IdeasTap and been a producer for Franko B, The Red Room and Young Vic, alongside assisting Artistic Director David Lan. Prior to his appointment in 2022, he was East London Dance’s Executive Director, and with the CEO & Artistic Director led the strategic direction to grow the staff team as well as turnover to a sustainable £1m over a seven-year period, secure The Guardian’s third 5* review in a decade for East Wall in the Tower of London moat, and over a five year period complete a £4.1m historic warehouse refit as a making space for the young people and creatives of east London.
Highlights of his career include building The Jellyfish Theatre out of 30 tonnes of reclaimed timber and recycling 96% of it, as well as developing new network performance technology on broadband and then 5G for distant performers and audiences to interact in real time at an audience quality level.
He is a trustee of Eclipse Theatre, the UK’s leading Black-led touring company, and a non-exec director of social enterprise Gaydio, the world’s largest LGBTQ+ radio outlet. He is also a mentor for I LIKE NETWORKING, a career platform for women and non-binary people in the creative industries.
Ben adores time with his family, doing brand new things with friends, gardening, sci-fi novels, and volunteering with Green Man box office most summers.
