Perth Festival welcomes Julia Holt as new Head of Programming

Perth Festival has announced that Julia Holt will be joining the team as Head of Programming, commencing on 8th February.

Holt will collaborate closely with Festival Artistic Director Iain Grandage and the programming team on Grandage’s 2022 and 2023 artistic vision and program. She will work in a transitional capacity with outgoing Executive Producer Anna Reece, who is departing the Festival to take up the role of as Director of Fremantle Arts Centre in March.   

Holt has more than 25 years international and national experience in key creative and managerial roles across the performing arts industry. Most recently she has been based in Melbourne but knows Perth very well, having lived in Perth previously for 10 years.  

Holt has led teams in the UK and Australia, including as Founding Director, Adelaide Cabaret Festival and Director, Programming and Marketing for Adelaide Festival Centre, as General Manager at Riverside Studios, London and the Assembly Rooms at Edinburgh Fringe as well as senior programming roles at Sydney Opera House, Arts Centre Melbourne and Queensland Performing Arts Centre. More recently, she was Director, Marketing and Events at Live Performance Australia and ran her own boutique production house, Tout Suite.   

Grandage notes “I have had the privilege of knowing and working with Julia for over 15 years, and the pleasure of welcoming her into our team is profound. The scope of her professional capabilities is matched only by the size of her heart.

“Her experience speaks for itself, and she brings an extraordinary depth and breadth of feeling for artists, audiences and managing and empowering high-performing teams.”

Holt added “It has been a long held dream of mine to be part of the Perth Festival team and an absolute honour to work with one of WA’s greatest artistic talents, Iain Grandage. I look forward to contributing my very best to the artistic endeavour and rich cultural fabric of Perth and Western Australia”.

The 2021 Perth Festival opens on 5th February and runs until 28th February.