Nigel Stannard

Nigel Stannard, former artistic director of the Gardner Arts Centre, died of cancer in the Martlets Hospice, Hove on 19 October. He was 67.

Coming from a London theatre background, Nigel was appointed to the Gardner Centre in 1973. One of his first successes as artistic director was the establishment of the Centre's Christmas show, rejecting 'smutty' pantomime and instead targeting each show directly at the children for whom it was intended. The first show in 1973, 'Winnie The Pooh', was a sell-out, starting a tradition that continues to this day.

Nigel's artistic connections guaranteed for Sussex audiences a strong and exciting programme of theatre, drama, dance, opera, concerts and art exhibitions. The major touring companies of the day visited the Centre time and again, theatre impresarios staged new productions there before they went on to London; and Cameron Mackintosh started many of his earliest shows there.

Nigel also encouraged the best in amateur theatre, staging memorable performances by New Sussex Opera and recruiting the finest directing talents to work with University students, including Kenny McBain, who originated the 'Inspector Morse' TV series.

In the early 1980s Tory cuts in the education budget threatened the Centre with closure and Nigel led the campaign to save it. Such was the Centre's artistic reputation at the time that stars from around the world wrote to the Argus to express their concern. Eventually, the Centre was saved from closure and a new company, Gardner Arts Centre Ltd, was formed to run it.

Nigel departed for the Nuffield Theatre, Southampton in 1985, leaving the Gardner Arts Centre as one of the few art centres in the country whose financial accounts were in the black. Three years later, he retired to live in Spain.