Sheen’s Welsh National Theatre reveals chief executive

SHARON GILBURD has been named as the chief executive of the new Welsh National Theatre company, joining artistic director MICHAEL SHEEN.

Gilburd was the former co-chair of National Theatre Wales, which announced at the end of last year that it would no longer exist in its current form following the loss of its core funding from Arts Council Wales (ACW) in 2023.

Her appointment comes as the company announced its inaugural productions and confirmed it will receive transition funding from ACW.

As a digital strategist, Gilburd has previously worked with the United Nations agencies and the World Trade Organisation in Geneva, later founding a digital marketing agency and consulting with organisations such as HBOS, Visa, and Barclaycard.

She has been an advisor for the London Film Academy and is chair of the Centre for Digital Public Services in Wales, a Welsh Government public body.

Also joining WNT is Welsh playwright TIM PRICE, who will be the company’s
literary manager. Price penned the National Theatre production Nye, which starred Sheen.

Gilburd said, “I’ve been in Wales for 20 years, have learned the language and am passionate about Wales as a bilingual nation, which makes it a truly exciting place to live and work. For Welsh National Theatre to take Wales to the world, we need a sustainable funding model.

“The company was launched thanks to early funding from Michael and we’re thrilled to have now confirmed transition funding with the Arts Council of Wales. Our continued focus in this next stage is on developing relationships with public sector organisations, private sector and philanthropists into solid support.”