For immediate use
Today's appointment of Jonathan Mills as the next Director will ensure that the Edinburgh International Festival builds confidently on its reputation as the best arts festival in the world. Mr Mills will take up the appointment in October 2006, and will be responsible for planning the 2007 Festival onwards. He succeeds Sir Brian McMaster, who stands down in September after fifteen years as Festival Director.
Jonathan Mills is currently the Vice-Chancellor's (Professorial) Fellow at the University of Melbourne, director of the Alfred Deakin Lectures and an Artistic Advisor to the new Melbourne Recital Centre & Elisabeth Murdoch Hall, which is scheduled to open in 2009. One of Australia's most experienced festival directors his previous posts have included Artistic Director of the Melbourne International Arts Festival, the Melbourne Federation Festival, the Melbourne Millennium Eve celebrations and the Brisbane Biennial International Music Festival. As a composer he is regularly commissioned in Australia and increasingly in Europe and the UK. His composition Sandakan Threnody for solo tenor, choir and orchestra won the Prix Italia in 2005. He graduated in music from the University of Sydney where he specialised in composition with Peter Sculthorpe. In addition to his work as a composer Jonathan Mills holds a degree in Architecture specialising in Acoustic Design.
The Rt Hon. Lesley Hinds, Chair of the Edinburgh Festival Council, and Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh said today, "I am delighted to announce this unanimous decision to appoint Jonathan Mills. This is an exciting and important appointment for the city and I am confident that we have chosen the right person to continue to grow Edinburgh's international reputation for innovative, inspiring and high quality arts and cultural performances. Edinburgh is one of the best cities in the world to work in and I'm sure that Jonathan Mills will be inspired to take us forward in the highly competitive world of the performing arts. He is an extremely exciting choice, and one I'm sure heralds clearly the future success of the Festival as it enters its seventh decade.
"Jonathan has an exciting vision for the Festival, in which he intends to build on the past successes and heritage of the organisation."
Jonathan Mills said, "Edinburgh International Festival is a great Festival in a gracious city. From the moment it was founded EIF has been a source of inspiration for similar celebrations of the performing arts throughout the world. I am both excited and humbled to be offered the opportunity to build on the twin traditions of excellence and innovation established by this wonderful event over the last 60 years."
Culture Minster Patricia Ferguson said: "Scotland boasts many world-class artistic jewels, none more so than the Edinburgh International Festival.
"It is therefore fitting that Jonathan Mills who has a distinguished artistic pedigree, commanding an excellent international reputation, should be appointed to lead the greatest arts event in the world. I am looking forward to working with him."
Graham Berry, Chief Executive of the Scottish Arts Council said: "We are delighted to welcome Jonathan to Edinburgh. He is an able and experienced successor to Brian, internationally recognised and we look forward to working with him."
Brian McMaster, current Festival Director said: "I have always said that this is the best job in the world. Every Festival Director brings their own personality to the programme, and it is a wonderful and exciting challenge to bring new values to this great event. I wish Jonathan every success."
ENDS
1. Jonathan Mills returns to Australia tomorrow, Tuesday 28 February. He will move to Edinburgh to take up the post of Festival Director in October 2006. He will visit Edinburgh on several occasions during 2006 and will be available then for interview. Please contact the Festival press office if you would like to register an interest in interviewing him.
2. The Edinburgh International Festival is one of the world's greatest celebrations of the arts. It is an annual three week Festival presenting opera, theatre, dance and classical music from the world's greatest and most innovative artists. The 2006 Edinburgh International Festival will run from Sunday 13 August until Sunday 3 September.
3. Members of the search committee:
The committee was made up of members of the Festival Council from a wide range of backgrounds, including experience of the arts and of the needs of Scotland, with observers from the Scottish Arts Council and City of Edinburgh Council. It was advised by AEM International.
Chair: Rt Hon Lesley Hinds, Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh
Jim Stretton, Deputy Chair of the Festival Council
Cllr Elaine Aitken, City of Edinburgh Council Conservative Party Spokesperson on Culture
Cllr John Longstaff, City of Edinburgh Council Scottish Liberal Democratic Party Spokesperson on Culture
Mr Ewan Brown CBE, positions include Chairman of Lloyds TSB Scotland
Mrs Carol Colburn Høgel CBE, Dunard Fund
Mr A Donald MacDonald CBE, positions include Chief Executive of MacDonald Orr Ltd and Chairman of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra
David McLellan, positions include Chairman of The Queen's Hall
Observers
Mr Tom Aitchison CBE, Chief Executive, City of Edinburgh Council
Ms Anita Clark, Scottish Arts Council
Advisor
Heather Newill, AEM International Ltd (Arts Entertainment Media Executive Search)
4. Additional Quotes:
Helena Kennedy QC, Chair of the British Council from 1998 – 2004 and one of Britain's leading lawyers said, "Jonathan Mills is one of the most dynamic and creative people working in the arts internationally. I know him well, through my previous positions as Chair of the British Council and as Chair of LIFT [London International Festival of Theatre], and I think it is a great coup for Edinburgh that he is to become the next Festival Director."
Lord Harewood, former Director of the Edinburgh International Festival said: "This is a very exciting choice. Jonathan Mills was a very successful director of the Melbourne Festival; he is young, brilliant, and will bring a completely new angle to the Festival, as every new Director should".
Full-sized photographs:
For more photos and for further information please contact Susie Burnet or Jackie Westbrook in the EIF Press Office on press@eif.co.uk, +44 (0)131 473 2020.
Jonathan Mills
BMus, MArch, FRSA