Kate McGrath recognised in 2025 Birthday Honours List

26 June 2025

We are delighted to announce that Kate McGrath has been awarded an OBE in the recent Birthday Honours List in recognition of her services to Theatre.

Hertford alumna (1997, English and Modern Languages) and Visiting Fellow Kate McGrath is Artistic Director and Chief Executive Officer of Fuel, which she co-founded in 2004. Fuel leads the field in independent producing in the UK’s live performance sector, collaborating with curious, insightful and skilled theatre makers to create fresh experiences for adventurous people. Fuel’s work is socially and politically engaged in the world we live in, and the big questions of our times, and in particular celebrates untold stories, under-represented artists and under-served audiences. Fuel projects include Inua Ellams’ Barber Shop Chronicles (National Theatre, UK and international tour), David Greig’s Touching the Void (UK and international tour, West End), BLUE NOW (UK tour) with Neil Bartlett, Russell Tovey and Travis Alabanza, Common Wealth, Speakers Corner and Bradford Modified Club’s Peaceophobia (UK tour), and Khalid Abdalla’s Nowhere (UK tour).

During the Covid pandemic, Fuel also initiated the Freelance Task Force and Creative Freelancers: Shaping London’s Recovery for the Mayor of London, leveraging £750k for freelancers. Kate was Curator for the Edinburgh International Festival from 2019 to 2022, Clore Leadership Theatre Fellow in 2008, and led the producing team at the Lyric Hammersmith from 2006 to 2009. Prior to Fuel, Kate worked as Producer at Battersea Arts Centre (2002-2005), and as a journalist on Arts & Features for The Scotsman (2000-2002). Previously Chair of the Board of Camden People’s Theatre (2012-2020), Trustee at Tobacco Factory Theatres (2014-18), and Co-Chair of Governor at Michael Faraday Primary School (2018-23), Kate is currently Trustee of Clore Leadership Programme (since 2020), Board Director for What Next? (since 2020) and Board Director for ARTCRY (since 2024).

She is also Visiting Fellow 2024-25 for the Cultural Programme at the University of Oxford, most recently curating and hosting a series of three conversations with leaders from across the cultural landscape – independents, founders and leaders of major institutions exploring approaches to ethics and values in cultural production today.

Warmest congratulations, Kate!