Lancaster theatre chief stands down after four years to take up new role at HOME Manchester arts centre

Karen O'Neill, Chief Executive of The Dukes, will take up a new role as Executive Director at HOME MCR arts centre in Manchester.

The Dukes Chairman, Roddy Gould, paid tribute to Karen who he said had done an ‘outstanding job’.

When Karen joined the theatre in 2019, her brief was to improve the organisation’s financial viability and increase its impact – a job made harder by the pandemic the following year.

But under her leadership, Roddy said the Dukes is once again a vibrant and inclusive cultural centre, on solid financial footing and with lots of ambition for the future.

He said the last few years had seen some record-breaking results that Karen and the Dukes team could be very proud of.

"Karen has done an outstanding job as Director for the Dukes,” said Roddy.

"She has finely balanced creative and commercial decisions and shown huge amounts of energy and resilience.

"We are sorry to see her leave, but we’re very grateful to her and delighted that her abilities have been recognised with this new career opportunity.”

Karen said: “I have had an incredible time at the Dukes. It has been an exciting and rewarding journey working with the staff team, board, volunteers and our many partners and supporters to bring the best in live performance and cinema to Lancaster.

"I am so proud of everything we have achieved despite the challenges, including expanding our work with communities locally and broadening our programme to bring new artists to the Dukes."

The Dukes will announce plans for the recruitment of a new CEO shortly.