Jude Kelly

Keynote Address, 12 March

People used to imagine a world where everyone learnt to read and write; do we have the same faith that music can belong to everyone?

Jude Kelly is Artistic Director of Britain's largest cultural institution, Southbank Centre, and former Chair of Culture and Education for London 2012.

Jude is an award-winning theatre director. After founding Battersea Arts Centre, she joined the RSC then took over the helm at the West Yorkshire Playhouse. As both Artistic Director and CEO of the country's largest regional theatre, she established a popular 'centre of excellence'.

Amongst her many successes in theatre, Jude's production of Singin' in the Rain transferred to the Royal National Theatre and won an Olivier for Outstanding Musical Production. She also directed Ian McKellen in The Seagull, Patrick Stewart in Johnson over Jordon and Dawn French in When We Are Married.

Jude left Yorkshire to found METAL, an artistic 'laboratory'. It provides a platform for collaborations between art forms and strategic projects which affect the built environment, people and communities.

Jude represents Britain on cultural matters at UNESCO. She has also jointly chaired the Curricula Advisory Committee on Arts and Creativity with Lord Puttnam. She currently sits on the cultural board at LOCOG.