The Canterbury Festival is an internationally renowned extravaganza of music, performance, talks, comedy, family events, science and more, taking place for two weeks in October each year. The Festival showcases Canterbury as a diverse and dynamic centre of culture and welcomes audiences of all ages and backgrounds to be inspired and delighted in a celebration of creativity. The Festival also offers a vibrant year-round programme, with creative opportunities, particularly for young people, performances, and events, all of which contribute towards making Canterbury an exciting place to live, work, learn and play. 

As the Festival enters its 40^th year, the Board are seeking a new Festival Director & Chief Executive to set an exciting future artistic vision and strategic direction for the Festival and lead on creating and implementing an ambitious, high-quality programme of culture and entertainment that will deepen public engagement and broaden audience reach.  The new Director will ensure that the Festival is sustainable for the long-term through confident planning and management, an ambitious approach to income generation, and a broad and imaginative range of partnerships.

Reporting to the Board of Trustees, the Festival Director will be an experienced senior leader in the arts, cultural sector or creative industries with a sound knowledge of a wide range of performing arts in the UK and internationally.  They will have a demonstrable track record of innovative programming, building and sustaining successful artistic and stakeholder relationships, and generating income from multiple sources.  A passion for the arts, entrepreneurial flair, business management skills, and the ability to lead and inspire a team, are all key qualities for the new Director.

For further information about the role and how to apply, please download the information pack below:

The closing date for applications is Monday 17^th June at 5pm.

The Canterbury Festival welcomes applications from the broadest range of candidates from all backgrounds.