Arts Executive Receives Honorary Doctorate on Birthday

December 3, 2025 Off By

Kully Thiarai honoured by University of Bradford for contributions to the arts

Kully Thiarai, a prominent figure in the UK arts sector, received an honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of Bradford on 2 December 2025, coinciding with her 62nd birthday. The award recognises her extensive career and commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion within the arts.

Career and Achievements

Over a career spanning more than 30 years, Kully Thiarai has held leadership roles across various arts organisations. She has worked as a producer, director, and creative director, developing a wide range of performances that engage diverse communities and cultures. Her work includes new plays and productions in non-traditional theatre spaces.

Some of her notable positions include:

Creative Director and Chief Executive of Leeds 2023, overseeing a Year of Culture featuring over 1,700 events supported by a £24 million programme
Artistic Director and Chief Executive roles at National Theatre Wales, Leicester Haymarket Theatre, Theatre Writing Partnership, and Red Ladder Theatre Company
Founding Director of Cast in Doncaster, a £22 million performing arts centre aimed at increasing arts engagement in an area with historically low participation
Developer of the artistic vision for Contact Theatre in Manchester, focusing on youth involvement

Currently, Kully Thiarai holds several leadership and trustee roles, including Chair of Paines Plough and Without Walls, Co-Chair of Slung Low, and trustee positions at The Arts Foundation and National Theatre Scotland. She is also an Honorary Fellow of The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and a member of the Mayor’s Business Board for the West Yorkshire Combined Authority. In 2020, she received the inaugural Northern Asian Power List Cultural Icon Award.

Connection to the University of Bradford

Kully Thiarai studied BA (Hons) Applied Social Studies with a Certificate of Qualification in Social Work (CQSW) at the University of Bradford. During her time at the university, she became involved with Theatre in The Mill, the campus arts organisation, under the leadership of Ruth Mackenzie.

Reflecting on her journey, Kully noted the significance of her education and the challenges she faced growing up in Smethwick, where academic expectations were low. She described her acceptance to the University of Bradford as a transformative experience and expressed that receiving the honorary degree was a particularly meaningful birthday gift.