CHENINE BATHENA

Chenine is the Creative Director the UK City of Culture in Coventry 2021.

She has overall responsibility for developing programmes, co-creation and community engagement and the development of national and international partnerships. Through the City of Culture programme she has shed a light on both local and global issues, utilising the power of culture to make change happen and ensure ‘culture for all’ is a core priority in the years to come.

Chenine is committed to building a cultural movement, harnessing community activism and creating initiatives that are joyful and celebratory, but with a strong social conscience and that can make change happen. She brings her own mixed heritage (British/Pakistani) background into all her work, to ensure that inclusion and difference are centre stage as we celebrate our rich wealth of cultures and perspectives.

A key focus of the City of Culture Trust programme for Chenine is tackling the real-world issues faced by people in the city. Working with host organisations that work with people with lived experiences of homelessness and poverty, refugee and migrant communities and young people at risk of criminal exploration, and mental health and isolation to make lasting changes to people’s lives.

Chenine comes to the Trust from the Greater London Authority where she led the Mayor’s Cultural Placemaking Team and conceived, designed and delivered the Mayor’s London Borough of Culture competition. As London 2012 Creative Programmer for the Olympics/Paralympics she led London’s biggest ever outdoor festival and at Arts Council England (London and national offices) she led strategic programmes for Outdoor Arts, producers, local authorities, young people and disability arts. Over the last five years she has made the case for embedding culture across city policy and invited artists and arts to go beyond their sphere and collaborate on major high street, housing and transport development schemes, including the Thames Estuary and The Royal Docks Enterprise Zone. She also initiated and led a range of high profile arts initiatives for the Mayor including Lumiere London 2016 and the Illuminated River.