Meet the new CEO of Contact - the first woman, Mancunian, and youngest to run the theatre

Keisha Thompson has been appointed artistic director and CEO of Contact in Manchester. At only 32, she will be the first woman, first Mancunian, and the youngest to run the multidisciplinary arts venue.

As the theatre marks its 50th anniversary this summer, Keisha sees it as a pivotal moment to elevate the work and projects happening at Contact - which she describes as a ‘castle of curiosity’. The new boss, who is a poet and producer, has long been connected to the Oxford Road theatre, and has performed there since she was 15.

Keisha first discovered poetry in primary school with the encouragement of her teachers, who introduced her to renowned poets and had her write her own work. She remembers reciting Talking Turkeys by Benjamin Zephaniah as a child.

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“It was fun, but the crux of it is actually getting you to consider eating turkey at Christmas time,” Keisha, who was first published at the age of 10, told the Manchester Evening News. “I liked that balance of being able to communicate something that’s quite big and serious in a playful and accessible way....poetry helped me to process the world.”

While her mum took her to see artists who inspired her and she heard from artists who gave talks at her high school - Whalley Range High School for Girls - Keisha didn’t imagine a full-time career in the arts was 'viable'.

Keisha felt she needed a backup plan, and instead studied philosophy and politics, before getting a PGCE in secondary mathematics from the University of Manchester. “I thought I was going to be a good lawyer and then I thought about being an accountant. I knew I was interested in education so then I wanted to