artistic director
Euchar was appointed Artistic Director at St John's Waterloo in 2019 and Waterloo Festival in 2018.
St John’s Waterloo is a historic 1824 Grade II* church and arts-community centre that reopened in October 2022 after a major restoration by Eric Parry Architects.
There has been music at St John’s since it first opened in 1824. When it was rebuilt as the church of the Festival of Britain in 1951, the newly restored nave was adorned with murals by German Jewish refugee artist Hans Feibusch and served as host to many choirs who travelled from across the country to perform in the Festival.
Today, St John’s produces a year-round programme of arts and culture and is co-home to the academy-orchestra Southbank Sinfonia. In the past year, it welcomed renowned international musicians, including Angela Hewitt, Steven Osborne and Doric String Quartet, as well as played host to professional and amateur orchestras. In partnership with prominent human rights organisations and through visual arts and literature, St John’s is also actively engaged with social justice, addressing issues such as press freedom, censorship, homelessness and climate change.
Beyond the arts, St John’s runs the award-winning churchyard garden and a variety of community projects for people experiencing homelessness and isolation as well as local community members for whom life’s challenges are now even more acute. It is also home to one of the most inclusive churches in London and provides the best new performance, event and meeting spaces on the South Bank, fulfilling its commitment to be here for everyone.
Waterloo Festival is an annual celebration of arts, heritage and community in Waterloo, on the South Bank fringe. It draws inspiration from the local community and its neighbourhood's heritage. The Festival, organised by St John's Waterloo, has run every summer since 2010 including an online edition in Spring 2020.
Euchar's role at St John's sits within The Bridge At Waterloo (TBAW), a secular charity located at and founded by St John’s Waterloo. Through its historic building, staff, volunteers and in partnership with its neighbourhood and other organisations, TBAW promotes community engagement, the arts, and horticulture to encourage social justice, communal involvement, inclusivity, and environmental responsibility.
Photo: St John's Waterloo, London | Eleanor Bentall for St John's Waterloo