Alan Finch CBE, the visionary leader credited with saving Chichester Festival Theatre (CFT) from potential closure and overseeing its multi-million-pound transformation, has died at the age of 61.
Mr Finch passed away on 10 September 2026 at St Wilfrid’s Hospice in Chichester, following a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. He served as the theatre’s Executive Director for 11 years between 2005 and 2016, a period widely regarded as one of the most successful and transformative in the venue’s history.
When he arrived in 2005 alongside Artistic Director Jonathan Church, the theatre’s future was far from certain. Faced with the potential loss of Arts Council funding and questions over its long-term viability, the pair were tasked with a “make-or-break” season to prove the venue could survive. Under their leadership, audience numbers more than doubled, and the theatre’s reputation as a world-class institution was cemented.
The RENEW project
Mr Finch’s most enduring physical legacy in Chichester is the £22 million RENEW project. He spearheaded the massive fundraising and construction effort to refurbish and develop the Grade II listed Festival Theatre, ensuring it met modern standards while preserving its unique hexagonal design. The project was completed in 2014, reopening to critical acclaim.
In a joint statement, the current leadership of Chichester Festival Theatre, Kathy Bourne and Justin Audibert, paid tribute to his impact. They said: “Alan, alongside Jonathan Church, is quite simply the man who saved CFT. His contribution to this theatre and the wider arts world is immeasurable. He was a brilliant, kind, and wise leader who remained a close friend and supporter of the theatre long after he moved on to new challenges.”
His career in the arts began as a teenage trainee electrician, but his business acumen eventually led him to the highest levels of theatre management. In 2016, he left Chichester to become the Managing Director at Cameron Mackintosh Ltd. He was awarded a CBE.
Sir Cameron Mackintosh described him as a “wise and much-loved man” whose loss would be felt deeply across the industry. Despite his national and international professional success, his connection to West Sussex remained strong, having lived in the area and eventually receiving care at the local hospice in Chichester.
Mr Finch is survived by his wife, Alison, and their two children, Katie and Tom. Plans for a memorial to mark his life and contribution to the theatre have yet to be announced.