Baker quitting Festival role

Managing Director of Edinburgh International Festival, Joanna Baker is stepping down at the end of the year.

She has had a long career with EIF since joining them as Marketing and Public Affairs Director in 1992.

Baker is the chair of National Youth Choir of Scotland and a Trustee of the Edinburgh International Culture Summit Foundation which she helped to establish. She has held a number of pivotal roles in other arts organisations.

Festival Director, Fergus Linehan said ‘It is hard for all of us who know and love the International Festival to imagine it without Joanna. Although she has been with the organisation for many years, her enthusiasm, creativity and courage have never waned. She is a formidable impresario, an outstanding leader of people and a great friend.’

Chairman of the International Festival Board of Trustees, Niall Lothian said ‘On behalf of the Trustees, I would like to thank Joanna for her unparalleled contribution to the International Festival. We will miss her leadership, wisdom and energy very much, but are happy that we will have the opportunity to bid her farewell throughout the 2018 Festival season.’

Joanna Baker said ‘Over my tenure at the International Festival I have had the pleasure and the privilege of working with three Festival Directors and an amazing group of colleagues, Trustees, artists, supporters and funders. I will leave knowing that the Festival is in robust health and in great shape for the future under the directorship of Fergus Linehan and an incredibly talented team. With nearly seven months to go before I step down, this is not the time for goodbyes or the moment for reflections on the past 26 years, other than to say that I am proud to have played a part in sustaining and developing this extraordinary organisation.”

The International Festival Board of Trustees and Executive will begin the recruitment process for the role shortly.