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BRAHAM MURRAY, founding Artistic Director of Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre, is to step down after 35 years with the company.

JENNY SEALEY (Artistic Director of Graeae theatre company) and BRADLEY HEMMINGS (Artistic Director of Greenwich+Docklands Festival) have been appointed as Artistic Directors of the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Cardiff Entrepreneur RAJ AGGARWAL, Managing Director of the Aggarwal Group, has been appointed a Trustee of Wales Millennium Centre.

KEVIN O’HARE is to be appointed as Director of The Royal Ballet following the retirement of DAME MONICA MASON in July 2012. He has been Administrative Director of the Company since 2009.

The British Council has appointed BRIONY HANSON as its new Director Film. She has been Head of the Programme Unit at the British Film Institute, and she spent ten years at The Script Factory, a filmmakers’ organisation focusing on development and training for the film community

AUDRE D CARLIN has been given the job of Life President of the Board of the Shakespeare’s Globe Centre USA. Carlin began her performing career with New York City Ballet, moving on to dance with companies including the American Ballet Theatre and to teach at the Lyric Opera in Chicago.

Politicians with responsibility for culture and the arts have been re-shuffled following the recent elections in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, FIONA HYSLOP retains responsibility for culture and external affairs, but her job now has higher status as Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs. HUW KEWIS is the new Minister for Housing, Regeneration and Heritage in Wales, replacing ALUN FFRED JONES. CARAL NI CHUILIN is the new Culture Minister in Northern Ireland.

CONRAD LYNCH will be the new Artistic Director at Wales Millennium Centre, as it moves towards its aim of being a producing as well as presenting house. He joins from Shakespeare’s Globe, where he has been Executive Producer for the past five years. He was previously Executive Director and Chief Executive of Salisbury Playhouse.

The Association of Dance of the African Diaspora (ADAD) has appointed MERCY NABIRYE as Director (Maternity Cover). A dancer and choreographer, her previous experience includes working for performance poetry organisation Apples and Snakes, and Arts Council/Creative Partnerships.

JOSHUA BELL has been announced as Music Director of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, the first person to hold the title since SIR NEVILLE MARRINER, who founded the Orchestra in 1958. He will double his time with the Orchestra during the course of his initial three year contract, as well as taking responsibility for its artistic direction.

JOHN FULLJAMES, co-founder and Artistic Director of The Opera Group, has been appointed Associate Director of Opera at the Royal Opera House. He will work with KASPER HOLTEN who joins as Director of Opera at the start of the 2011/12 Season. CORMAC SIMMS, currently General Manager of the Company, will become Administrative Director.

An Establishment Board has been appointed for the film delivery network Creative England, comprising the Chairs of the existing Regional Screen Agencies. The Board will oversee the work of an Establishment Director for the organisation. CAROLINE NORBURY, Chief Executive of South West Screen, will be seconded to this interim role for up to six months.

The new Project Administrator at South Asian arts development agency Kalapremi is RICHARD NEVILLE, replacing VIDYA SARANGAPANI who is leaving for a maternity break.