In Conversation With…Laura Stevenson, Executive Director of The Old Vic

“I have always loved the arts and am always struck by the joy and impact that a great play or concert can have.” Laura Stevenson knew at an early age that she wanted a career in the arts world. Growing up, she loved being part of a youth orchestra, and she attended plays, concerts, and galleries with her family. She studied history at university and threw herself in to the College student union (JCR): “It was my first experience of leading a team and my role included organising events and dealing with the student issues of the day. It allowed me to develop my organisational and strategic thinking skills which led me to join a management consultant graduate programme at McKinsey after university.”  Laura spent a couple of years at the firm and through the programme, she seized the opportunity to work in industry in the development office of Tate: “Just as I was planning to return to the corporate world, a leadership opportunity opened at Tate in their Collection division. It was a welcome sign to pursue a career in the arts, supporting the work of creative people.”

After a few years at Tate, Laura became Deputy Director of the Hayward Gallery, then Executive Director of Sadler’s Wells, before joining the Royal Shakespeare Company, followed by the Royal Opera House, and eventually The Old Vic. Laura says: “I’m lucky to have worked with some amazing organisations. They all focus on creating great art and making it accessible to as many people as possible. One of the highlights was Antony Gormley’s Blind Light exhibition at the Hayward in 2007: it was very immersive including the main exhibit in which visitors disappeared into a glass box of fog and became the subject of the work.”  

Laura joined The Old Vic in July 2022.  “It’s a wonderful theatre: it has been at the heart of Waterloo for over 200 years. Matthew Warchus (Artistic Director) and I have a fantastic team, and we believe in the power of theatre to change lives. We have a dual purpose: to welcome audiences every night to an extraordinary range of work and to run an education and community programme to enable as many people as possible to experience and make theatre. As Executive Director, my day-to-day focus is on the artists, the audience, and the organisation and creating the right environment for them all to thrive. Whether it’s planning for productions or thinking creatively on how to reach new audiences, it’s never dull. Setting the culture and values is also important to make sure everyone feels welcome.” One of Laura and Matthew’s largest current projects is building an education and community hub: “It has been a long-held ambition of Matthew’s to expand and embed the social mission of The Old Vic into the fabric of the building”. The new Backstage building is planned to open towards the end of 2025.

Laura notes that while Matthew will be leaving his role in the summer of 2026 after over a decade at The Old Vic, he has planned an exciting array of productions for his final seasons: “With 1,000 tickets to sell every night, you need the right programme, and Matthew has been able to do that. He wants it to be ‘entertainment with a purpose’ – work that always has something important to say but never to feel like medicine.” When asked about her favourite Old Vic production, Laura mentions a number of memorable shows: “I love the variety of the programme – from family favourites like A Christmas Carol, a glorious Christmas treat, which has everything (including snow and mince pies), to wonderful musicals like Groundhog Day, and brilliant plays, like The Real Thing (on until 26 October 2024). Looking forward, Oedipus, co-directed by Matthew and Hofesh Shechter, promises to be an exciting collaboration and new take on the classic tragedy.”

Delivering the exciting programme doesn’t come without its challenges: “with the exception of the Culture Recovery Fund during Covid, The Old Vic does not receive government support, so we rely heavily on the box office, philanthropy and commercial income. Audience numbers are influenced by the work on stage, and we compete with the West End. It’s also important for us to ensure we have accessible pricing, which we do with our £10 PwC Preview tickets and by keeping 40% of our tickets costing £44 or less. Since the pandemic, we feel grateful that audiences have returned, and we have had two very successful seasons.  We are also incredibly lucky to have supporters like the Huo Family Foundation who share our commitment to making high quality work which is available for everyone.”

The Huo Family Foundation currently supports The Old Vic with a grant of £400,000 for its 2023 and 2024 productions.