Max SteventonKOKO has appointed Alexandria Carr as its new head of music.
Carr joins the London music venue and members’ club from the Southbank Centre, where she was contemporary music programmer.
In her new role, Carr will oversee music programming and curation at KOKO, while also working on new projects across the venue’s spaces.
Carr will also work on projects linking music and food, as well as making greater use of KOKO’s recording studio and livestreaming facilities, according to the London venue.
Carr began her career in Birmingham, where she founded Amplify Sounds in 2020, a live music platform supporting emerging artists from the Midlands.
She later worked at Birmingham Town Hall and Symphony Hall before joining the Southbank Centre, where she worked as a music programmer across festivals and international partnerships.
Carr also programmes for Cheltenham Jazz Festival and sits on the board of the European Jazz Network. She is a trustee and talent development adviser for Sound Roots and was part of the music team for the second edition of SXSW London.
In her first three months at KOKO, Carr has brought Erykah Badu to the venue for a surprise DJ set, co-curated music for a KOKO collaboration with Chanel and delivered a free day festival with Jazz Re:freshed.
“This is a role that I am immensely excited for,” said Carr. “The work that has been done over the last five years is nothing short of exemplary and I am aware that I am being handed the baton to one of London’s most iconic venues, in a year where KOKO celebrates its 125th birthday – an incredible privilege!
“KOKO has always been an important part of the artist’s live journey, from the early stages, through to arena level acts that return because it’s so special – my vision is to build upon this, making sure that the artists really understand what they can do at KOKO beyond the traditional live show.”
KOKO founder and CEO Olly Bengough said, “I am very excited about Alex joining us and collaborating with her to continue our legacy of working with the finest musicians and artists. It’s an exciting next chapter ahead for all of us and I believe with Alex’s vision, anything is possible!”