Welcome to our first digital Globe magazine, the Autumn 2020 issue, which lands in the middle of an extraordinary time.

Pandemic and lockdown would have not been unfamiliar to Shakespeare, who wrote some of his most famous plays during plague times. With that in mind, this edition looks to the past, but also at how Shakespeare’s Globe has been affected during 2020, and the hope it is taking into the future.  

More than ever, the generosity of our supporters has been the lifeblood of Shakespeare’s Globe. In this issue we celebrate the ways in which our worldwide community has come together to fundraise, take a look at the value of legacy giving, and get a personal take from Fundraising Ambassador Marcus Coles.  

The Globe has always responded to the world around it, and the Black Lives Matter movement reminds us of the need for the Globe to do more to be anti-racist. Our third Shakespeare and Race festival provided a digital platform for director Ola Ince and actors Rebekah Murrell and Alfred Enoch to discuss how race affects our understanding of Shakespeare. 

And we remain hopeful for the future…

Michelle Terry, our artistic director, talks about the partnerships that are spurring the Globe into a brave new world, while our CEO Neil Constable gives an insight into the work going on to secure its future. 

There’s also reminders of how we are never far from beauty, with Professor Emma Smith encountering the Munro Folio, and Greg Morrison’s photo essay centring on the Globe stage.