Former Wiltshire Creative leader makes return to venue leadership

The recently reopened Jersey Opera House has named former Wiltshire Creative leader SEBASTIAN WARRACK as its chief executive officer.

Warrack, who left his role as executive director at the Salisbury venues in January last year after 11 years, is to join the island’s opera hall shortly after the conclusion of its £12.5 million refurbishment.

The space reopened to the public on 3 October, following five years of closure.

Warrack has worked at organisations including theatre company Told By An Idiot and Arts Council England.

In his time in the South West, he oversaw the merger of Salisbury Playhouse, Salisbury Arts Centre and Salisbury International Arts Festival into the umbrella entity, Wiltshire Creative.

LAURA ROBERTSON, interim chair of the board of directors at Jersey Opera House, hailed Warrack’s “proven leadership, deep industry knowledge, and passion for the arts”.

“Sebastian’s experience in driving financial resilience, navigating complex change and forging creative partnerships will be invaluable as we continue to build a vibrant, ambitious and sustainable future for the Opera House and for Jersey’s cultural community,” Robertson added.

Warrack said: “Jersey Opera House has recently completed a spectacular £12.5m capital project, generously funded by the Jersey government, and I am hugely honoured to have been appointed as the new chief executive of this immaculately restored theatre.

“I greatly look forward to working with its brilliant staff and board to develop the theatre’s next chapter together. I would like to pay tribute to my predecessors for establishing solid foundations on which we can base the theatre’s future, and I look forward to building on their achievements.”