Rob Lehmann is the Director of Young Lyric at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre in West London. Prior to this he was Head of Participation at the Young Vic Theatre and is a graduate of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Across his career he has led international programmes in Australia, Canada, Egypt, South Africa, Taiwan and Zimbabwe. He is Co-Chair of Buckinghamshire Culture.
I moved to High Wycombe in September 2024 after a decade of living in London, where I worked with and for many of the UK’s leading cultural venues and artists. What I love about High Wycombe is its enduring spirit of creative innovation. From our proud history as world-leading chair makers in the 19th century, to the ‘We Make Wycombe’ culture development programme now inhabiting the high street in the 21st century and beyond. Creative innovation is in the bones of this town.
Whilst our proximity to the capital plays both positively and negatively in retaining creative talent, our local creative spirit cannot be denied, evidenced by Bucks New University attracting new talent yearly to creative courses that span Film, TV, gaming and animation, forging the next generation of talent and creativity on our doorstep. Over the past year, I’ve witnessed local theatre audiences continue to grow and met many creatives visiting High Wycombe for the first time who have fallen in love with its balance of countryside and town. In March this year, Wycombe Swan Theatre became a Partner Theatre for the National Theatre’s Connections Festival, enabling young people to take part in a national theatre-making programme, with High Wycombe proudly representing Buckinghamshire. It’s a strong example of how local ambition, when backed properly, can position us on a much bigger stage.
I always enjoy experiencing FrogFest in May, a weekend that brings together local bands and the community in a way that feels both authentic and energising. I’ve also spent countless hours in our brilliant independent coffee shops, where culture, community and creative ideas thrive. Special mentions go to The Front Room and The Apple Orchard.
In my role as Co-Chair of Bucks Culture, we are now working closely with the local authority to shape Buckinghamshire’s Cultural Strategy for 2030 and beyond, drawing on the learnings from the ‘We Make Wycombe’ framework as a blueprint for local cultural engagement across the county.
I’m extremely proud to call High Wycombe home, and excited for the collaborations, conversations and creative innovations still to come.