The Stage

Liverpool welcomes Melbourne festival director

Published Monday 10 May 2004 at 14:00

Melbourne International Arts Festival director Robyn Archer has been appointed artistic director of Liverpool’s stint as European Capital of Culture in 2008, starting next year.

She will be responsible for the year-long cultural programme that is designed to play a crucial role in transforming city physically as well as regenerating its cultural and economic capacity. As much as £2 billion will be invested in cultural and tourism infrastructure.

Archer performed as a singer in London in A Star Is Torn in the early eighties but moved on to festival directing in the nineties - the National Festival of Australian Theatre, the Adelaide Festival and currently, the Melbourne International Arts Festival. Later this year she will have fulfilled her three years there and will only have her artistic advisor’s position on Tasmania’s Ten Days on the Island Festival to complete in April 2005 before she can move to Liverpool.

Melbourne festival board member Noel Turnbull said that Archer is well qualified for the post. “The qualities she will need are the ones that have made Robyn a great Melbourne artistic director - renewing and refreshing the festival while simultaneously building on its past.”