Anthony Dorran Bowne (born April 1956)^[1] is an English academic and administrator. He has been Principal of Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance since 2010.^[2][3] Previously, as Director of Laban Dance Centre,^[4] Bowne played a key role in the 2007 merger with Trinity College of Music, which formed Trinity Laban,^[5] the largest conservatoire in the United Kingdom’s higher education system.^[6]

Bowne completed an honours degree in Economics at the University of Southampton.^[5] Aged 25, a developing passion for the performing arts, and, in particular, contemporary dance, initiated a move to London to take a one year postgraduate diploma at Laban Dance Centre.^{[citation needed]}

Under the mentorship of Bonnie Bird, Bowne realised the idea for the world’s first postgraduate dance company, Transitions,^[7] and for the next 15 years managed and toured the company.^[8] During that time, he undertook a master’s degree in architecture at the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London^[5] aiding his work as a lighting designer in theatre and architecture.

Bowne began his career as an industrial economist before training as a theatre and architecture lighting designer.^[9]

It was during a two year sabbatical at the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts,^[5] teaching theatre and architectural lighting design that Arts Council Lottery funding was confirmed for the new Laban building^[10] and Bowne returned to London to lead the project.^[4][11][12] The new Laban opened in 2003 and was awarded the RIBA Stirling Prize for Architecture, Britain’s ‘Building of the Year’.^[13][14][15] Also in 2003, on the retirement of Marion North, Bowne was appointed Director of Laban.^[16] In May 2004, Bowne spoke about the funding and economic impact of Laban to the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee.^[17]

Bowne’s national roles in higher education include current chairmanship of both the Finance and Remunerations Committees of London Higher,^[1] the ‘umbrella’ organisation for London’s universities, and deputy chair of Conservatoires UK.^[18] External appointments in the Arts currently include director of Blackheath Halls^[19] and board memberships of both the Bonnie Bird Choreography Fund^[20] and One Dance UK.^[21] Internationally, Bowne was elected as the deputy director general of the Beijing-based World Dance Education Alliance.^[22] He has previously served on the DCMS Dance Forum,^[21] the board of Bird College,^[23] chair of the CUKAS Advisory Group for Universities & Colleges Admissions, on HEFCE’s Teaching Quality and Student Experience Strategic Committee and the Mayor of London’s Cultural Strategy Group.^[21] He has been visiting chair of Dance for Lasalle College of the Arts in Singapore^[24] and visiting professor at City, University of London. He is also an Honorary Fellow of Trinity College, London.^[25]

As a guest speaker, Bowne’s presentations cover both the arts and education. Topics include ‘Fair Access and Participation’ and The ‘Future of Music Education’ for the Westminster Higher Education Forum and ‘Creativity in Employment’^[26] for the British Council’s ‘GREAT Britain’ campaign in both Seoul and Singapore.^[27]

In 2005, Anthony Bowne married Emma Redding, director of Victorian College of the Arts at the University of Melbourne, Australia.^[28] They have two children.