Edinburgh International Children’s Festival director to step down

Director of the Edinburgh International Children’s Festival, NOEL JORDAN, will depart at the end of October after 10 years in post.

Jordan joined Imaginate, which runs the nine-day annual festival, following nearly 30 years in Australia’s children’s theatre sector as programmer, producer, director and lecturer in organisations including Sydney Opera House and the University of Melbourne.

Imaginate’s board chair LYNNE HALFPENNY said, “Noel has made an incredible contribution over the last decade with Imaginate, building the Edinburgh International Children’s Festival’s reputation for artistic excellence both locally and globally.

“The joy that his programming has brought to the lives of children and young people (and their grown-ups) across Scotland is evident at every festival. “

Jordan added: “I am incredibly proud of my time at Imaginate as festival director. During the past 10 years, there have been so many highlights… particularly close to my heart has been the introduction of annual productions specially programmed for children with additional support needs.

“This in turn has inspired local artists to make their own work for this often-neglected audience.

“Whenever I have questioned why I do the work I do in a field so often seen as the ‘poor cousin’ of the adult sector, I sit amongst a packed audience of children at the festival and marvel at their thirst for the liveness of theatre and delight in our shared connection.”