Susie Thornberry, Artistic Director and CEO (She/They)

I joined Metal in 2022. My roots are in theatre, festivals and public art and I have presented work with Artichoke, BBC Radio 6 Music, London Jazz Festival, Imperial War Museums – where I was director of public engagement, leading programmes about the human impact of conflict – and many more. Some of my career highlights are taking over Piccadilly Circus with an artwork about nuclear threat and the climate crisis; the UK’s first Syrian death metal performance; and a 6km route of falling dominoes. I’m a trustee of Battersea Arts Centre and Historic England. As a writer, I was shortlisted for the Wasafiri New Writing Prize and I’m working on a collection of short stories. The last things I read were Rendang/Will Harris, there are more things/Yara Rodrigues Fowler and Aftermath/Preti Taneja. I find it impossible to choose favourites (except crisps – salt and vinegar forever!).