Paul Russ is Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Fabric, the dance development organisation based in the Midlands, UK.  

Paul holds responsibility for the strategic and artistic direction of Fabric, including the realisation of a wide range of artist and art form development programmes and strategic training and engagement programmes in its dance and choreographic centres in Nottingham and Birmingham. In addition, Paul leads a team to realise Fabric’s festival nottdance, THIS IS DANCE – the new Birmingham International Dance Season, the international showcasing programme – Fabric International and is an Honorary Fellow and Researcher in Dance at De Montfort University.  

Since graduating in Contemporary Dance and Performance at Nottingham Trent University, he has worked in several roles in dance, as director, programmer, educator, funder, commissioner and producer, for organisations including Arts Council England, Cambsdance, Birmingham Rep, Audiences Central, The Old Town Hall Theatre, Nottingham Playhouse, Dance4 and DanceXchange. 

Paul, was Chair of Nottingham 2023, the City’s European Capital of Culture bid and Chair of Nottingham Strategic Cultural Partnership. Paul has held many non-Executive roles in third sector organisations, advisory panels and a school governor. Paul is currently a non-Executive Director of Gary Clarke Company, Sick Festival and Dance Hub Birmingham CIC.