Fearghus Ó Conchúir to pass the baton on at NDCWales Artistic Director will move on later in 2020 Fearghus Ó Conchúir and National Dance Company Wales have announced that he will be moving on from his role as Artistic Director at the end of the Spring 2020 tour, after more than two years with the Company. Jane McCloskey, Chair of the NDCWales Board, said: “Fearghus is stepping down with regret to get a better work-life balance. He is deputy chair of Arts Council Ireland, while his family life is in London, and it’s proved really tough to balance all of this with the demands of being artistic director of a major company in a third capital city. “After two years of getting to know Fearghus and working with him as our Artistic Director, I know how hard this decision has been for him personally. However, the relationship between Fearghus and the Company remains very warm. We’re very proud of the direction that the Company has set, and he’s been a key part of that. We’re sorry that this year will be his last as artistic director, but we all intend that he will return in future to work with us on various projects.” Fearghus’s work will continue with NDCWales, both in the Rygbi project that continues to grow and the 2020-22 programme he played such a significant part in developing. As Fearghus says: “We’ve completed the planning for the next few years that will take us through the current artistic and business cycle, and the Company is on a very exciting trajectory. I’m confident that NDCWales has everything in place to realise its ambitions and bring brilliant dance to all kinds of people in all kinds of places. I’ll be working with the dancers and the whole Company through this year as we continue to achieve those ambitions, and I’ll continue to be a champion for this great work in the future.” Looking to the future, NDCWales Chief Executive Paul Kaynes said: “Our exciting 2020 season is already in train and we have a solid business plan for the years ahead so although I am sad to see Fearghus go, he leaves us in great shape. We will now take time to consider the best way to secure dynamic artistic leadership for the long term. Fearghus will be with us until late Spring and we all wish him all the very best for the future." Contact: National Dance Company Wales | Paul Kaynes | Paul@ndcwales.co.uk