Eckhard Thiemann

Programmer, curator and cultural manager

Born in Germany, based in London, I am an independent curator, programmer and arts manager, specialising in contemporary Arab culture, dance and international cultural programming and exchanges.

I was Artistic Director and CEO of Shubbak, London’s largest festival of contemporary Arab culture and  was Associate Artistic Curator for CODA - Oslo International Dance Festival in October 2017. I worked as  freelance producer for The Space and  twice with Siobhan Davies Dance as interim Creative Producer.

I was producer for the London 2012 Festival and the Cultural Olympiad and  curated the Liverpool Arabic Arts Festival 2011 as well as  acting  as adviser for the 2014 festival. I  curated OUTSPOKEN – NEW PERFORMANCE FROM ARAB ARTISTS for International Dance Festival Birmingham (2010), and produced African Crossroads for Dance Umbrella (2009).
I programmed the opening season of Pavilion Dance and the conference Digital Futures in Dance.
Previously I was artistic director of Woking Dance Festival, and Year Of The Artist coordinator for South East Arts.

Recently I was a consultant for London Borough of Richmond to develop the inaugural Arts & Ideas Festival (2023) and the 2025 Dance Commission; led on international development for LOD in Ghent, Belgium and Theater an der Ruhr in Mülheim, Germany; was Selector of Sadler’s Wells Rose International Dance Prize, jury member of the Theatre & Dance Panel for Made in Scotland 2024, and member of the dance jury for Sky Arts Awards 2024. I regularly lead artists’ talks, and post-show discussions, as well as mentor artists.