Mark Skipper DL

Mark Skipper joined Northern Ballet as Deputy Stage Manager in 1987, working his way through the roles of Company Manager and Head of Planning before being appointed Chief Executive in 1996.

Since taking the helm he has persuaded David Nixon OBE to take the role of Artistic Director and supported the creation of more than 20 new productions. He has increased the Company’s overseas touring, taking them as far afield as Beijing and Bangkok.

In 2010 Mark’s extensive work on developing a new purpose-built home for the Company reached a successful conclusion and Northern Ballet took up home in their six-floor powerhouse for dance in Leeds City Centre. The building has gone on to win several awards including the National Lottery Award for Best Arts Project.

Mark is a tireless ambassador for Northern Ballet, Yorkshire and the arts as a whole. In 2006 he was awarded with Manager of the Year at the Theatrical Management Association Management Awards and in 2010 he was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant for West Yorkshire. Mark has been actively involved with &Co who specialise in arts communication since its inception. In 2012 he oversaw the rebrand of &Co Communicate and the transfer of the now named Info Display – the charity’s trading subsidiary – to Northern Ballet. In addition to all of this Mark is currently Chair of Young Opera Ventures and Chair of Info Display.