After seven years in the role of Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, Kath M Mainland is to leave to take on the role of Executive Director of the Melbourne Festival in Australia in February 2016.
Originally from Orkney, Kath began her career in the arts in 1991 when she first joined the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society as an Administrative Assistant. In 2005 she became general manager of the Edinburgh International Book Festival and worked there until 2009 when she took up the newly created post of Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (EFF) Society during the tenure of which the EFF has seen significant growth. In June 2014 Kath was awarded a CBE for services to Culture in Scotland.
Kath herself said, “I love the Fringe and I have lived in Edinburgh for over twenty years because of it. I’m immensely proud of the Fringe Society staff and their achievements – I have had the opportunity to work with an amazingly hardworking, imaginative and talented group of people.
“I’d especially like to take this opportunity to thank all the creative souls who take part in the Fringe and make it what it is – the world’s largest, most renowned open-access arts festival. Every year artists from all over the world travel to this great festival city to bring audiences their extraordinary work, and it’s because of them that the Fringe is so successful, and Scotland has such a unique cultural event to be proud of.
“I will take away many, many very special memories of the Fringe, and Edinburgh’s other festivals and I’m looking forward to coming back as an audience member to create many more.”
Sir Timothy O’Shea Chair of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society said, “Kath’s passion for the arts, their place in society and our unique festival city of Edinburgh has led her to achieve great success as Chief Executive … Her enthusiasm is contagious, her spirit is generous, and her vision and hard work has been truly remarkable. .... …She has been an asset to both the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and to the city of Edinburgh and I’ve no doubt Kath will go on to achieve wonderful things at the Melbourne Festival.”
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society will begin the recruitment process for a new Chief Executive imminently.