Shona McCarthy takes over in March

Shona McCarthy has been appointed chief executive of the Edinburgh Fringe.

Currently running her own private consultancy firm, she was previously chief executive of the Culture Company, working as Derry-Londonderry’s year as UK City of Culture.

She will take up the post in early March, replacing Kath Mainland who is stepping down in February after seven years to become of executive director of the Melbourne Festival.

The chair of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, Sir Timothy O’Shea, said: ‘Shona brings with her an exceptional resume of experience in the cultural sector and is an experienced and successful chief executive.

’As the Fringe approaches its 70th anniversary year, I have no doubt Shona will provide the vision and leadership to continue and further develop the work the Society does, supporting the Fringe’s reputation as a world leading arts festival.’

McCarthy’s time in Derry was marred by disputes with council chief executive Sharon O’Connor, mainly around marketing. The Culture Company wound up three months earlier than expected claiming they were given only £4million of the £14million promised for promotion.

She said today: ‘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.

‘Kath Mainland has done a terrific job and there is a brilliant team already in place, I look forward to joining them.’Shona is currently Director of Shona McCarthy Consulting, founding Director of Culture Trust, Chairperson of Oh Yeah music centre in Belfast, and Walk the Plank in Manchester. She was awarded a prestigious Eisenhower Fellowship for Innovation 2014. She has 25 years’ experience in senior leadership positions.

From 2011 – 2014 she was Chief Executive of the Culture Company, leading on Derry-Londonderry’s year as UK City of Culture, creating and delivering a world class, citywide cultural programme for 2013 and raising and managing a budget in excess of £20 million.

Previously she was Director of the British Council Northern Ireland leading a team of 40 to oversee international programmes of work across schools, arts and Higher Education to build positive international cultural relations.

Between 2002 and 2008 she was the Director of her own company, specialising in cultural collaborations. Prior to this she was Chief Executive of Imagine Belfast leading on a cultural strategy for the city and producing the Belfast bid to be European Capital of Culture 2008.

Shona also spent many years as Chief Executive of both Cinemagic and the Foyle Film Festival, and was Head of Exhibition at the Northern Ireland Film Council.

Published: 12 Jan 2016