Karl Chapman
THE USHER HALL
Karl Chapman has been General Manager of the Usher Hall since 2001, overseeing a £30 million renovation programme and a substantial growth in audience and concert activity in that time. He has recently expanded his venue remit within the City of Edinburgh Council to also manage the Assembly Rooms, Churchill Theatre and Ross Theatre. Prior to this he was Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Blackheath Halls in London.
Karl began his career with The Guardian in Manchester before pursuing a career in music, promoting international jazz tours across the UK and northern Europe, setting up touring circuits for Scottish based musicians, working for the Arts Council as a contemporary music specialist in England, and managing musicians.
Over the past 12 months he has also led on a project to bring together Edinburgh’s wider live music scene with the Council, aiming to develop solutions to support live music through better licensing regulations, planning legislation for cultural buildings, support and advice.
In his time he was a keen tenor saxophonist playing in a few different bands, and more recently an aspiring jazz drummer as well as an award winning photographer.