The Critics’ Circle
Protecting and promoting cultural criticism since 1913
The Critics’ Circle believes impartial, professional criticism of the arts is an essential ingredient of a healthy society. The Circle today has 503 members shared between Theatre (117), Music (91), Film (151), Dance (57), Visual Arts (47) and Books (40). Admission to the Circle is by invitation from the Council.
Since 1988 the Circle has presented each year the Service to Art Rosebowl to an artist of conspicuous achievement. In 2015 the members voted for Dame Maggie Smith, in 2016 for Matthew Bourne.
The sections make their own awards in ceremonies which are significant social occasions, and hold periodic meetings and lunches to discuss their awards, propose new members, debate current issues and meet artists.
President: Mark Shenton
Vice-President: Mark Pullinger
Hon. General Secretary: Rick Jones criticscircleallsections@gmail.com
Hon. Treasurer: Peter Cargin
Trustees: Ian Herbert, Michael Billington, Peter Cargin
News & reviews
Book Review – Homeland Elegies by Ayad Akhtar
In Ayad Akhtar’s 2013 Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Disgraced, his principle character, Amir, a Pakistani-American lawyer, admits feeling a “blush of pride” at 9/11. Akhtar was exploring the crisis of identity felt by many Muslim-Americans in the wake of the terror...
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Anna Smith stands down as chair of the Critics’ Circle Film Section
After six years, Anna Smith is standing down from her role as Chair of the Film Section. Only the second woman ever to have held the position (after the late great Dilys Powell some 40 years prior), she also served two years as President of the entire Critics’ Circle,...
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Film Section welcomes seven new members
The UK Critics’ Circle Film Section is proud to announce seven new members for 2020. Film Section Chair Anna Smith says, "We are thrilled to welcome these new members, I'm sure they will be a great asset to the Circle." They are: Hanna Flint has been working as a...
read moreMaster of the Dance of Arts – a review of “Calder: The Conquest of Space: The Later Years: 1940-1976”
During the lockdown the second, and final, volume of Jed Perl’s biography of Alexander Calder was published. Not every modern master has been fortunate enough to have had an in depth biography written on them. But if Picasso has Richardson, Calder now has Perl. The...
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Critics’ Circle Music Awards 2019
The Music Section of the Critics’ Circle is delighted to announce the winners of our Annual Awards for 2019. The Lifetime Achievement Award is a special category, rather than an annual award, and is given here by the music section to a conductor whose career has had a...
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