John Fulljames has been appointed as the inaugural Director of Oxford University’s Humanities Cultural Programme.

Fulljames, who was Director of Opera at the Royal Danish Opera and Royal Danish Orchestra from 2017 until earlier this year, will take up the role in November 2022.

He was previously Associate Director of Opera for the Royal Opera and founded The Opera Group.

Fulljames has been a director for more than 20 years and won awards including the Irish Theatre Awards and the Evening Standard Awards and was nominated for the Olivier Awards and the Southbank Show Awards.

In a statement, Fulljames said, “I am very excited by this utterly unique opportunity to lead a multi-disciplinary arts center which will sit at the core of three different communities: the Oxford city and region, the university community, and the international cultural community. My aim as Director is to bring these communities together through cultural activity which resonates with all of them.”

Meanwhile, Professor Dan Grimley, Head of Humanities at Oxford University, said, “I am delighted that we have secured a world-class cultural leader for Oxford University’s Humanities Cultural Programme. John Fulljames brings invaluable experience in directing major productions at world-renowned venues, as well as an entrepreneurial flair evidenced by his successful opera start-up. These experiences will help us to produce innovative cultural programming which brings Oxford’s humanities research to new audiences within Oxford and across the world.”