Project Patron

Kwame Kwei-Armah

Acclaimed actor and playwright, Kwame Kwei-Armah has kindly agreed to be the patron of 6°, bringing with him a vast wealth of experience, insight and expertise.  Kwame’s extensive and diverse career also includes theatre directing and music.  He recently served as Artistic Director of the historic 3^rd World Festival of Black Arts and Culture held in Dakar, Senegal in December 2010, and has just been appointed Artistic Director of Centerstage Baltimore - the State Theatre of Maryland.   He is currently Chancellor of the University of the Arts London.

Kwame was Writer in Residence at the Bristol Old Vic 1999-2001 where he wrote three plays- A Bitter Herb (Winner Peggy Ramsey award), Blues Brother Soul Sister, and Big Nose. And Writer in Residence for BBC Radio drama 2009-10.  He is an Associate Artist at the National Theatre of Gt. Britain, and Congo Square theatre company Chicago USA.

His triptych of plays set in the habitats of the African Caribbean community -Elmina’s Kitchen- Fix up and Statement of Regret premiered at the National Theatre between 2003- 2007, with Elmina’s Kitchen transferring to the London’s West End, (The First African Caribbean playwright to have had that honour) Baltimore and Chicago. Amongst others he has won the Evening Standard Charles Wintor Award for most promising Playwright, Screen Nation award for Favourite TV actor, 100 Black Men of Britain Public figure award, GPA man of the year and The RECON community leadership award 2007.  Kwame has been nominated for a Lawrence Oliver Award and a BAFTA. He received Honorary Doctorates from The Open University and University of East London 08/09 respectively, was awarded membership of the Royal Society of the Arts and was made an honorary member of 100 Black men of London in 2008. He is currently Chancellor of the University of the Arts London.

Kwame made his directorial debut at Baltimore’s Centerstage directing the Macarther award-winning playwright Naomi Wallace’s ‘Things of Dry Hours’ in early 2007. He then went on to direct the Pulitzer nominated playwright Esa Davis’s Ten minute play Dave Chappelle was right for the 24hr plays on Broadway.

In 2008 Kwame directed two sell out successful productions of his play -Let There Be Love at the Tricycle Theatre London, wrote the BBC TV drama ‘Walter’s War’ about the first Black soldier to received an officers Commission in the British army during WW1 and This is our Moment for BBC Radio 4’s From Fact to fiction.  In ‘09 he wrote and directed Seize the Day as part of the ‘Not Black and White’ season at the Tricycle Theatre London. In 2010 he directed the Opening Ceremony of the World Festival of Black Arts and Culture at the 60,000 seat Leopold Sendgor Stadium Dakar Senegal.

For the BBC Kwame has presented Newsnight Review, the Culture Show, and a History of Christianity as well as the four part documentary series - On Tour with the Queen for Channel 4.

For Radio in 2009 he adapted his stage play Statement of Regret for BBC Radio 4, who also transmitted his play Robert Mugabe- Gods President- in late 2010.  He has presented a raft of documentaries from the life of Tennessee Williams - Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, to The London Story- a Journey through the last 40 years of the great Capital.

He was a regular columnist for The Guardian (2005-6) and has written articles for The Independent, The Telegraph, The Evening Standard, the New Statesmen and The Observer.

Kwame has been the Good Will ambassador for Trade for Christian Aid 2003-2008.  He was a Governor at The University of the Arts London, and is on the board of The Roundhouse, The Royal National Theatre and the Tricycle Theatre.

As an actor Kwame played Finley Newton in the BBC’s Casualty 1999-2004 has recently been seen in the TV series Hotel Babylon, ITV’s LEWIS, Channel 4’s Skins and the film Fade to Black.

photo credit: Metro News