Edinburgh Fringe appoints new chief executive
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe has appointed a new chief executive.
Shona McCarthy will take up the post at the arts festival in early March.
She was formerly chief executive of the Culture Company, which was responsible for leading on the Derry-Londonderry UK City of Culture celebrations in 2013. Currently a cultural consultant, she has also held the position of director of the British Council Northern Ireland.
She said: I am thrilled to be appointed chief executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, an organisation I have long admired.
I have spent 25 years working in the cultural sector and have seen up close and personal the transformative power that art can have on people, on cities and on wellbeing.
I passionately believe in personal and collective creativity as a force for good in a turbulent world.
I have visited Edinburgh and the Fringe on many occasions and there is no better outlet for creative expression than the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the greatest open access arts festival in the world, and I can't wait to work with and support all those who make up such a wonderful festival.''
Ms McCarthy takes over from Kath Mainland, who she described as having done a terrific job''.
Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop, said:
“The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the biggest arts festival in the world. It is loved by thousands of people across our capital, Scotland and worldwide.
"The festival has also propelled some of our greatest performers to stardom and supported Scottish talent through the EXPO funded ‘Made In Scotland’ strand in the programme.
“Shona McCarthy brings a wealth of experience to the role of Chief Executive of Edinburgh’s Fringe and is well-known and respected in the arts and culture sector.
"Ms McCarthy led the delivery of Derry UK City of Culture and I witnessed first-hand some of the cultural excellence and innovation of that city when I visited in 2013. Over the past 25 years, Shona has worked tirelessly to make the world of arts more accessible and I very much look forward to working with her.”