New Executive Director for Arts Festival

Media Release

28 January 2009

New Executive Director for International Arts Festival

The New Zealand International Arts Festival announced today that it has a new executive director, Sue Paterson.

Sue replaces David Inns who resigned late last year due to a need to move to Auckland for personal reasons.

Festival Chair Fran Wilde said that securing Ms Paterson as his replacement was “a real coup” for the organisation.

“Sue Paterson is widely known and respected as an arts administrator, particularly as a result of her eight years as General Manager of the Royal New Zealand Ballet. Sue is also no stranger to the Festival having been the Marketing Director from 1994 to 1998”, Fran Wilde said.

“We are very sorry to be losing David Inns, who has played a significant leadership role in the development of the Festival and in the arts in New Zealand generally. He has established an enviable reputation and has left big shoes to fill.

“However, we are fortunate that we have been able to replace him with such a high calibre and experienced leader.

“In particular, with the economic downturn, the arts might generally be expected to struggle, making good management essential”.

Ms Paterson is currently GM Marketing and Communications at the Department of Conservation. As well as her roles in the Ballet Company and the Festival, she has also been GM of Limbs Dance Company and has worked for Creative New Zealand.

Ms Paterson said she was very excited to be able to return to the Festival in a leadership role, to help achieve the vision of Artistic Director Lissa Twomey.

“The Festival is an anchor stone of the performing arts in New Zealand and this is a wonderful opportunity for me”, she said.

Ms Paterson will take up her role in late February and together with Artistic Director Lissa Twomey will have joint responsibility for the delivery of future festivals and other programmes delivered by the NZIAF Trust.

ENDS

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