Stagetext, the leading charity creating captions for d/Deaf, deafened and hard of hearing culture lovers, is delighted to announce the appointment of Robin Saphra as their new Chair.
Robin, who had an early career within the arts, worked as a director and producer at the renowned Market Theatre in South Africa, fringe venues and West End theatres in the UK, as well as at the BBC.
Robin said: “I am delighted to join Stagetext and to be a part of the important work they do, enabling thousands of people to enjoy and participate in the arts as equals. I feel very proud to be involved in their mission.
“We are at a time when it is unacceptable not to provide essential access within cultural venues and as I become involved with Stagetext I hope to help support the development of new strategies to bring access to more people, ensuring theatres, museums and galleries are welcoming and cater for whoever may come through their doors.”
Robin is also a trustee of the Yard Theatre in London, where he helped to secure their status as one of Arts Council England’s National Portfolio Organisations.
Along with having worked in the arts, Robin is a lawyer and for the last 20 years served in senior management roles for global technology businesses in the UK, Germany, Dubai and the USA. Robin was a key influencer in the creation and development of regulation of the global telecommunications market and has also been a technology investor and entrepreneur.
Melanie Sharpe, Stagetext CEO, said: “We are truly excited to welcome Robin to chair our Board of Trustees. It is rare to find someone who has such a comprehensive career, actively engaged with everything we do and who is passionate about inclusion. We are delighted to have him onboard.
“What’s even more exciting is that Robin has joined Stagetext during a period of revitalisation. We have just moved offices ensuring we keep our overheads as low as possible, we’ve been developing a vibrant new team of staff, and have delivered more access to more venues than ever before. We can’t wait to see how Robin helps us transform even further.”
Robin takes over from outgoing Chair Johnathan Hassell, who played a vital part in the growth of Stagetext over that last two years.
Stagetext are currently looking for a new board member who has experience within the museum sector, if you think that you may be interested in joining our board please take a look at the details.
