ALT Amalia Vitale as Beatrice and Ekow Quartey as Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing (2024). Beatrice and Benedick embrace each other. He wears bright blue pantaloons with a white shirt and a flower patterned jacket. She wears a deep blue gown with white puff sleeves and a pendant necklace.

ALT An image of Dr Farah Karim-Cooper in a red blazer and white shirt, with a chunky colourful necklace. Below her, a white background with black text reads: Professor Farah Karim-Cooper has said: I am thrilled to take up the role of Director of the Folger Shakespeare Library. After twenty years at Shakespeare’s Globe developing a scholarly profile while leading research, education, collections and public programming, this role is the natural next step on my lifelong journey with Shakespeare. The Folger is a world-renowned and beloved institution, a significant beacon of knowledge that daily demonstrates the importance of the humanities, illustrating, much like the Globe, how Shakespeare’s work speaks to our moment. I joined the Globe in 2004, a junior scholar. I couldn’t believe I got to work alongside and often inside this magnificent theatre space. Over time, I recognised that academic energy fuelled and inspired the creativity that emerged from the plays on stage.

ALT A white background with black text reads: I don’t know how I will say goodbye to this extraordinary organisation. After 20 years as the Globe’s academic in residence, its Head of Higher Education & Research and now for the last 4 years, its Director of Education, I have learned so much under one roof (or literally under no roof) and that is a unique experience I will treasure for the rest of my life. I am grateful to my many colleagues, to the Education department from the 2004 iteration to its current team of brilliant, passionate educators; to each of the unique artistic directors I got to work with - for making research so central to their art and giving me the opportunity to take up space in their creative endeavours. The thing that makes this organization the miracle that it is, isn’t Shakespeare, though he’s a big part of it. It is the people. I have had the privilege of working with so many talented, dedicated staff, passionate artists and visionary leaders.