News Story

The International Festival launches a cultural leaders mentor programme in celebration of it's 70th anniversary

In celebration of the International Festival’s 70th anniversary, we are delighted to launch a new professional development initiative for emerging cultural leaders.

The International Festival Mentor Programme will give first hand experience of the skills required to run an international performing arts event and offer an opportunity to work alongside some of the world’s greatest artists.

The scheme is open to practitioners who are originally from or resident in Scotland, or who have spent some of their career in Scotland, and is aimed at ensuring that talented and creative individuals from all over the country have the opportunity to harness the International Festival’s unique position to further develop careers.

The mentee will work closely with International Festival Director Fergus Linehan and Managing Director Joanna Baker, gaining insights into areas such as programming, cultural policy, governance and fundraising at one of the world’s greatest cultural events.

The work programme will include the delivery of specific and special projects as well as shadowing key staff and opportunities to visit other international festival and events. The aim of the programme is to help talented professionals develop their skills, experience and contacts as creative cultural entrepreneurs, with the detail to be shaped around the development needs of the successful applicant.

This programme has been made possible by a generous donation from Sheila Colvin. Sheila has held major cultural roles in Edinburgh and internationally, moving from a career in television and theatre production, to being involved in the foundation of the Traverse Theatre, and later joining the International Festival as Associate Director, before becoming Director of the Aldeburgh Music Festival.

The programme will run for three years, taking place over the 2017, 2018 & 2019 Festivals, with one mentee selected for each of the three festivals. Each mentee will be engaged by the Festival on a full time basis for one year, receive an annual salary and will have the costs of travel to other festivals and events covered.

Applications for the International Festival Mentor Programme are now closed.


Photo Credit:

Fergus Linehan © Eoin Carey