Anthony Doran Bowne (born April 1956) [1] is an English academic and administrator. He has been Principal of Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance since 2010. [2] [3] Previously, as Director of Laban Dance Centre, [4] Bowne played a key role in the 2005 merger with Trinity College of Music, which formed Trinity Laban, [5] the largest conservatoire in the United Kingdom’s higher education system. [6]
Bowne completed an degree in Economics at the University of Southampton. [5]
Under the mentorship of Bonnie Bird, Bowne realised the idea for the world’s first postgraduate dance company, Transitions, [7] and for the next 15 years managed and toured the company. [8] During that time, he undertook a master's degree in architecture at the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London [5] aiding his work as a lighting designer in theatre and architecture.
Bowne trained as a theatre and architecture lighting designer. [9]
Bowne taught at the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts. [5] In 2003, on the retirement of Marion North, Bowne was appointed Director of Laban. [10] In May 2004, Bowne spoke about the funding and economic impact of Laban to the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee. [11]
Bowne’s national roles in higher education include current chairmanship of both the Finance and Remunerations Committees of London Higher, [1] the ‘umbrella’ organisation for London’s universities, and deputy chair of Conservatoires UK. [12] External appointments in the Arts currently include Chair of Blackheath Halls [13] and board memberships of both the Bonnie Bird Choreography Fund [14] and One Dance UK. [15] Internationally, Bowne was elected as the deputy director general of the Beijing-based World Dance Education Alliance. [16] He has previously served on the DCMS Dance Forum, [15] the board of Bird College, [17] chair of the CUKAS Advisory Group for Universities & Colleges Admissions, on HEFCE’s Teaching Quality and Student Experience Strategic Committee and the Mayor of London’s Cultural Strategy Group. [15] He has been visiting chair of Dance for Lasalle College of the Arts in Singapore [18] and visiting professor at City, University of London. He is also an Honorary Fellow of Trinity College, London. [19]