Sydney Festival Names New Executive Director

Christopher Tooher has been named the new Executive Director of the Sydney Festival, teaming up with Festival Director Lieven Bertels.

Currently the General Manager for the Bell Shakespeare Company, Tooher has held previous roles within the Sydney Opera House and Illawarra Performing Arts Centre companies.

In a statement today Tooher said of the Sydney Festival that, "Its position is unrivalled, showcasing the best of the world's art in the country's truly global city, celebrated in summer and cherished and loved by the community. I look forward to working with Lieven and all the team in continuing to deliver a Festival that surprises, delights and exceeds the expectations of our audiences and community."

He was congratulated by Sydney Lord Mayor and Chair of the Sydney Festival, Clover Moore, who said, "Christopher's experience managing touring and performance programs will be extremely valuable in his new role as Executive Director of Sydney Festival. This excellent decision rounds out the new leadership team's strong international connections with deep local production knowledge."

Minister for Tourism, Major Events and the Arts, George Souris, said it was "fantastic to have Christopher Tooher at Sydney Festival, bringing his experience from some of Australia's pre-eminent arts companies... I am confident that Christopher will make a valued contribution to the Festival team alongside Festival Director Lieven Bertels. Together they will present as a formidable pair.”