Federation of Scottish Theatre (FST) and its Board of Directors are delighted to announce Kenny McGlashan as the new CEO of the organisation.
Kenny McGlashan will be joining FST in September of 2025, stepping down from his current position as CEO of YTAS (Youth Theatre Arts Scotland). Kenny has been with YTAS since 2014, where he led the organisation’s work in building and supporting a vibrant and vital youth theatre sector in Scotland. He is a collaborative and strategic leader with extensive experience across theatre, education and national sector development. Kenny has a vast background in advocacy, honed through his role in developing Children’s and Youth Arts Advocacy, a collective of leading arts agencies working together to drive change for Scotland’s children and young people.
Susannah Armitage and Anita Clark, Co-Chairs of the Federation of Scottish Theatre, said:
“We are delighted to welcome Kenny McGlashan to take on the leadership of FST at this time. In Kenny, we have a collaborative, informed and bold leader who will continue to drive forward FST’s impact within the performing arts in Scotland. We recognise Kenny’s passion for a thriving and equitable sector and the role this has in Scotland. His extensive experience in working in youth theatre brings deep understanding of complexities of the current times and the power of the performing arts to enrich lives.
We look forward to working closely with Kenny as the organisation embeds its new strategic framework to advocate, connect across and drive necessary change in the performing arts. We are excited to work with him as he leads FST into its next chapter, championing the performing arts across Scotland and working to strengthen our sector.
We also take this opportunity to thank Interim CEO Alex McGowan for his work in leading FST and supporting the organisation and staff team through this leadership transition.”
Kenny McGlashan said:
“I’m honoured to be joining the Federation of Scottish Theatre at such a pivotal moment for the performing arts in Scotland. This sector is rich with talent, resilience and vision—and I’m excited to help amplify its voice, connect its communities, and lead the organisation into its next chapter. I look forward to building on the strong foundations already in place and working closely with FST’s members, partners and staff to support a thriving, inclusive and confident cultural future.”
FST is excited to continue building on their new strategic framework, set out in 2024, with Kenny McGlashan at the helm, working with collaborative, informed and bold values to enable a thriving performing arts sector.
All of us at NEAT wish Kenny every success in his new role, and look forward to seeing his leadership continue to strengthen and support Scotland’s vibrant performing arts sector.
