Alistair Hardaker | Image: Dr Dominique Bouchard
Dr Dominique Bouchard appointed in inaugural role as part of the trust’s new strategy.
Shakespeare Birthplace Trust has appointed its first creative director, Dr Dominique Bouchard, who will take up the new post in June 2026.
Dr Bouchard is currently heritage and engagement director at Leeds Castle in Kent, and previously was head of learning and interpretation at English Heritage, following nearly twenty years’ experience working in museums in Hong Kong, Ireland and the UK.
The charity, which cares for William Shakespeare’s family homes in Stratford-upon-Avon, said the appointment comes as part of its new strategy. The new role will see Dr Bouchard lead a team to support Stratford’s creative economy by collaborating with partners to co-create new exhibitions and experiences.
Rachael North, chief executive of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, said Dr Bouchard “will play an integral role in celebrating our world class collections and archives, engaging diverse audiences and making the Trust’s historic properties and collections even more accessible.”
Dr Bouchard said: “Shakespeare in Stratford is an astonishing inheritance, and I’m thrilled to join the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust at this moment of renewal, uniting our remarkable places, collections, research and learning to create extraordinary experiences that inspire curiosity and open up Shakespeare’s world and what it can mean today.
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust is also appointing a director of Shakespeare Scholarship.
Professor Charlotte Scott will take on the new position, reporting to Dr Bouchard. The role is expected to provide intellectual and strategic leadership for the charity’s Shakespearean mission.
North added: “I am looking forward to working with Dominique and Charlotte to ensure Shakespeare’s story continues to inspire and resonate for generations to come.”
