# Dick Penny

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British arts administrator and consultant

Dick Penny Born Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire, England Occupation arts administrator Known for contributions to the arts in Bristol

**Dick Penny** [MBE](/source/Member_of_the_Most_Excellent_Order_of_the_British_Empire) is an arts administrator, consultant and producer, based in [Bristol](/source/Bristol), England.[1] Before his involvement in the arts, he worked in manufacturing industry, computer programming and the building trade.[1]

## Biography

Penny was born in [Droitwich Spa](/source/Droitwich_Spa) and educated at Monmouth School and Ross-on-Wye Grammar School.[2] His first job in the theatre was as administrator of the Little Theatre Company (1980–1983), which he set up with a group of [Bristol Old Vic](/source/Bristol_Old_Vic) actors to keep the Little Theatre,[3] in the municipally owned [Colston Hall](/source/Colston_Hall) complex, going as a professional venue. His duties included everything from set building to front of house. Notable productions included [Raymond Briggs](/source/Raymond_Briggs)' 1983 adaptation of his own book [When the Wind Blows](/source/When_the_Wind_Blows_(comics)), based on the [UK Government](/source/UK_Government) [civil defence](/source/Civil_Defense) booklet [Protect and Survive](/source/Protect_and_Survive), which transferred to the [Whitehall Theatre](/source/Whitehall_Theatre).[1][3]

Between 1986 and 1988 Penny was the Associate Director at [Bristol Old Vic](/source/Bristol_Old_Vic) with a brief to develop programme and audience. From 1991 to 1993 he was director of [Watershed Media Centre](/source/Watershed_Media_Centre), the UK's first media centre. He has been a board member of the [Ashton Court Festival](/source/Ashton_Court_Festival), [Circomedia](/source/Circomedia) and Bristol +. Penny has stated that he has "a passion for Bristol and a drive to make the city a more exciting, open and inter-connected place to live, work and play."[1][4][5]

In the 1990s Penny's production company Rebbeck Penny co-produced *[Macbeth](/source/Macbeth)*, starring [Pete Postlethwaite](/source/Pete_Postlethwaite), with Bristol Old Vic for a UK tour,[6] and in 2001 *Scaramouche Jones*, which also starred Postlethwaite, for a UK and world tour.[7] In 2007 he took over as Executive Chair of Bristol Old Vic with the main objective of reopening England's longest running theatre.[8][9] He is currently the managing director of the [Watershed Media Centre](/source/Watershed_Media_Centre), an organisation he re-joined in 1998.[10]

Penny is also founding director of Bristol +, a creative partnership board made up of public sector officials and creative entrepreneurs. In 2010 he was awarded honorary degrees by the [University of Bristol](/source/University_of_Bristol) and the [University of the West of England](/source/University_of_the_West_of_England).[2][11] He was awarded an [MBE](/source/Member_of_the_Most_Excellent_Order_of_the_British_Empire) for services to the creative industries in Bristol in the 2011 New Year's Honours List.[12]

## Notes

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-bovblog_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-bovblog_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-bovblog_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-bovblog_1-3) ["Meet Dick Penny"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090515233502/http://www.bristololdvic.org.uk/blog/2008/01/meet-dick-penny/). Bristol Old Vic. 18 January 2008. Archived from [the original](http://www.bristololdvic.org.uk/blog/2008/01/meet-dick-penny/) on 15 May 2009. Retrieved 28 February 2009.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-UWEcitation_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-UWEcitation_2-1) Press Office (15 November 2010). ["UWE awards honorary degree to Dick Penny"](http://info.uwe.ac.uk/news/uwenews/article.asp?item=1862&year=2010). *University of the West of England*. Retrieved 17 November 2010.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-theatrecoll_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-theatrecoll_3-1) ["Theatre Collection"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090709070857/http://www.bristol.ac.uk/theatrecollection/bov.html). University of Bristol. Archived from [the original](http://www.bristol.ac.uk/theatrecollection/bov.html) on 9 July 2009. Retrieved 28 February 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Dick Penny"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090418090347/http://www.britishcouncil.org/goingglobal3-dick-penny.htm). British Council. Archived from [the original](http://www.britishcouncil.org/goingglobal3-dick-penny.htm) on 18 April 2009. Retrieved 28 February 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Creative Economy Network and Conference"](http://www.creativeclusters.com/modules/eventsystem/?fct=viewpresenter&uid=5121). Creative Clusters. Retrieved 28 February 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Shenton, Mark (21 January 2002). ["20 Questions With...Pete Postlethwaite"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110616055812/http://www.whatsonstage.com/index.php?pg=207&story=E8821011379287). What's on Stage. Archived from [the original](http://www.whatsonstage.com/index.php?pg=207&story=E8821011379287) on 16 June 2011. Retrieved 28 February 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Scaramouche Jones"](https://web.archive.org/web/20100210001315/http://www.scaramouchejones.co.uk/). www.scaramouchejones.co.uk. Archived from [the original](http://www.scaramouchejones.co.uk/) on 10 February 2010. Retrieved 28 February 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Smith, Alistair (24 December 2007). ["Rhymes resigns as chair of Bristol Old Vic"](https://web.archive.org/web/20081201164035/http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/19366/rhymes-resigns-as-chair-of-bristol-old-vic). The Stage. Archived from [the original](http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/19366/rhymes-resigns-as-chair-of-bristol-old-vic) on 1 December 2008. Retrieved 28 February 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["New star at Bristol Old Vic"](http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Old-Vic-s-rising-stararticle-580440-details/article.html). This Is Bristol, Bristol Evening Post. 1 January 2009. Retrieved 28 February 2009.[*[permanent dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-celebrating_10-0)** "Celebrating a watershed in creativity". *Bristol Evening Post*. 15 September 2007.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Inspiring pair receive degree accolades"](http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/Inspiring-pair-receive-degree-accolades/story-11325870-detail/story.html). *This Is Bath*. 17 July 2010. Retrieved 9 October 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["New Year Gongs for our Local Heroes"](http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/whereyoulive/cotham/NEW-YEAR-GONGS-LOCAL-HEROES/article-3053273-detail/article.html). This Is Bristol, Bristol Evening Post. 31 December 2010. Retrieved 3 January 2011.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

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