A new leadership programme named after late producer Imogen Kinchin has been established to support emerging theatre and dance professionals. Launching in September 2026, the fellowship aims to continue Kinchin’s legacy by nurturing the next generation of cultural leaders.

The Imogen Kinchin Fellowship is a funded annual programme selecting between six and eight participants each year without an upper age limit. It offers a £3,000 fund, one-to-one mentoring, group events, and networking opportunities to those chosen.

Created by a group of eight industry figures who worked closely with Kinchin, including Emma Brünjes, Jo Danvers, Georgia Gatti, Glenn Graham, James Grieve, Nia Janis, Nicholai La Barrie, and James Mackenzie-Blackman, the fellowship reflects the breadth of Kinchin’s career.

Delivered in partnership with organisations where Kinchin previously worked — Half Moon Young People’s Theatre, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures, the National Theatre, Playful Productions, and Theatre Royal Plymouth — the programme emphasises work across various regions, artforms, and sectors.

Kinchin’s career spanned over two decades, beginning in Plymouth and moving into prominent London roles, including executive director at New Adventures and trustee of Theatre Royal Plymouth. She passed away aged 44 in March 2024 after a diagnosis of stage four bowel cancer.

The pilot cohort of the fellowship will seek to represent the diverse aspects of Kinchin’s professional life, including young people’s theatre, fringe, commercial producing, and subsidised theatre and dance sectors.

Further information regarding nominations and donations for the Imogen Kinchin Fellowship is available online, underlining the industry’s commitment to fostering future leaders inspired by Kinchin’s impact on theatre and dance.