Eckhard Thiemann
Eckhard Thiemann is a freelance programmer, producer, manager and consultant. He is Artistic Programme Consultant for Pavilion Dance, the new regional dance centre opening in Bournemouth in September 2010, managed by Dance South West. He curated and produced OUTSPOKEN - New Performance from Arab Artists for Birmingham International Dance Festival 2010, the first season in the UK dedicated to Arab dance artists. He represents Royal Opera House associate artist Laïla Diallo internationally, and works as development manager for Freddie Opoku-Addaie. Eckhard was also the facilitator for the BDE2010 Research Project.
Eckhard produced the season African Crossroads for Dance Umbrella in October 2009, the largest season of African dance artists in the UK. He was commissioned by national dance agency Dance City in Newcastle to research and conceptualise a new festival with the theme 'Creative Movement and Human Rights'. He devised the UK promoters visit to South Africa for Visiting Arts in February/March 2009 and produced the UK premiere and residency Border Border Express by Kenyan artist Opiyo Okach for the opening of the BASS Festival in Birmingham in June 2009. Previously he was director of Arts Council regularly funded organisation Woking Dance Festival, presenting major international artists in UK-premieres and commissions. He was the first director of Arts Council regularly funded organisation Hampshire Dance.
Eckhard has significant expertise outside the dance sector and was performing arts officer for London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, where he managed the literature festival Word-Wide, was Year of the Artist Coordinator for South East Arts, worked with the Cape Craft and Design Institute in Cape Town on a feasibility study for a new collection of contemporary craft, and the Centre for Contemporary Arts in Lagos in developing a business plan.
