Matthew Bourne receives the Freedom of the City of London award

Matthew Bourne received the Freedom of the City of London award, The City of London Corporation said on 5th June 2025.

Bourne, internationally renowned choreographer and Artistic Director of New Adventures, was given the award "in recognition of his outstanding achievements in contemporary dance during a stellar career spanning over 40 years," the news release said.

Bourne is known for his unique approaches and reinterpretations of classical and neo-classical ballet and dance pieces such as the very successful Swan Lake, which is now almost a classic, Romeo and Juliet and The Sleeping Beauty. He has also produced the dance production of Tim Burton movie, Edward Scissorhands.

Bourne has received numerous awards, including nine Laurence Olivier awards, since the inception of Adventures in Motion Pictures, the now dissolved predecessor of New Adventures. He was awarded an OBE in 2001 and knighted in the 2016 Queen’s New Year Honours in recognition of his contribution to dance.