Fringe director announces he is to quit after eight-year reign
THE Edinburgh Fringe director who has seen the festival almost double in size over the past eight years is to step down from his post.
Paul Gudgin, who has held the job since 1999, is to work as a festival consultant in South Korea, Australia and Canada, and is pursuing other projects in the UK.
His departure means the International Festival, the Film Festival and the Fringe will all have new directors for 2007.
Hannah McGill replaced Shane Danielson at the Film Festival in September 2006, while Jonathan Mills replaced Sir Brian McMaster as director of the International Festival in the same month.
Mr Gudgin is expected to leave his post in June or July, which means his successor will be in place by the start of this year’s Fringe.
Among those suggested as possible replacements are Mary Shields, currently programme director of Assembly Theatre, producer and former Fringe press officer Louise Chantal and Kath Mainland, currently the administrative director of the Book Festival.
Unlike the directors of other international festivals, the Fringe director will have no say in programming the festival, which is open to anyone who can find a venue and pay for an entry in the brochure.
Fringe directors are responsible for marketing the festival around the world and for managing the sometimes delicate relationships between performers, venue managers, Edinburgh council, business leaders and the Scottish Executive.
Mr Gudgin, 43, was formerly general manager of Edinburgh’s Queen’s Hall and said his decision to quit came from his desire to pursue a more active involvement with programming arts events.
The outgoing director said he was quitting at a time when the Fringe was “in very good shape”.
He said: “It is getting close to doubling and part of the challenge is to keep ticket sales going up and to make sure that audiences, promoters and performers are still interested in coming.”
During Mr Gudgin’s tenure at the Fringe, the number of ticket sales rose above 1.5 million for the first time in its history. The number of shows has grown from 1,382 in 1999 to 1,927 in 2006. Ticket sales have grown from 860,357 to 1,531,656 while the value of tickets has increased from 6,218,348 to 13,735,041.
He said the decision to quit as director was a purely spontaneous and personal one.
“At the end of every festival I always sit down and think, ‘Am I going to go through all that again?’” he said.
“Last year was a great year, I really enjoyed it and it felt time to hand it on. It gives me time to take up a few invitations and to work with a variety of festivals around the world.”
He said he would miss the start of the festival the most. “It is electrifying. There’s always a moment a couple of days before the official start when all of a sudden the town becomes engulfed by the festival,” he said.
Yesterday, venue managers, business leaders and politicians paid tribute to the work done by Mr Gudgin for the festival and the city of Edinburgh over the past eight years.
The Gilded Balloon’s director, Karen Koren, said she was “surprised and sad” that Mr Gudgin was leaving. “I think he’s done a good job and made his mark,” she added.
Bill Burdett-Coutts, artistic director of Assembly Theatre, said Mr Gudgin had been “a very good diplomat for the Fringe”.
But he said the increasing size of the festival would inevitably mean fresh challenges for Mr Gudgin’s successor.
“We are all challenged by the speed the festival is growing and the only way we will survive is to keep new ideas coming,” he said.
“There needs to be a more balanced relationship between the Fringe, the performers and the venues.” IN THE RUNNING KATH MAINLAND
Currently the administrative director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, she previously worked as general manager of Assembly Theatre and for Hogmanay organiser Unique Events. STEVEN GOVE
Artistic director of the Prague Fringe Festival and a great supporter of Edinburgh Fringe. MARY SHIELDS
The programme director for Assembly Theatre has played a key role in attracting influential companies from around the world to the Fringe. Has also worked for Glasgow’s Mayfest and Granada Television. JOHN CLANCY
Actor, writer, producer and director, and co-founder of the New York International Fringe Festival, and an Edinburgh Fringe stalwart for many years. LOUISE CHANTAL
Venue press officer turned successful producer, who has brought shows to the Edinburgh Fringe, including the Riot Group and Cars.
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