We are also looking for maternity cover for our Quarterhouse Manager.

Please see our job opportunities page for details.

Lewis Biggs stepped down as the Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Liverpool Biennial last July after ten years in the role, during which time the ten week Biennial Festival became one of the most exciting and best attended arts events in the country. Internationally recognised as ‘the UK’s Biennial’, the 2010 Festival attracted nearly one million visits by over 500,000 visitors.

Lewis Biggs was Director of Tate Liverpool 1990-2000, and has been commissioning art for public spaces in a regeneration context since co-curating ‘Artranspennine’ with Robert Hopper in 1998. For Liverpool Biennial, he brought Anthony Gormley’s Another Place to Crosby Beach in 2005, and in 2007 commissioned Turning the Place Over, from Folkestone Triennial 2008 artist Richard Wilson. These and other initiatives contributed to Liverpool’s programme as European Capital of Culture 2008.

Lewis Biggs is currently a Visiting Professor in Contemporary Art at Liverpool John Moores and Shanghai Universities, and an Honorary Professor at Glasgow University. He is a curator for the 2013 Aichi Triennale (Nagoya, Japan).

Mr Upton said “We are delighted to welcome Lewis to the Folkestone Triennial. He brings with him a wealth of experience and his enthusiasm for community engagement in place-making without compromising artistic integrity will be an exciting new direction for the Triennial.”

Prior to this Alastair was for ten years the director of Charleston, the historic Sussex home of Bloomsbury Group artists Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant.

Alastair, who starts work in January 2012, said: “The Creative Foundation has achieved a huge amount for Folkestone in a short time and established a national reputation for its work. I’m really delighted to have been asked to take on its leadership. There are some very exciting opportunities and challenges ahead and I’m really looking forward to working on them with the board, staff and partners.”

Chairman of the Creative Foundation, Roger De Haan said ‘The Board of Trustees and I are delighted that Alastair Upton will be joining the Creative Foundation.  Following the success of the second Triennial this is an ideal time for a new Chief Executive to take the Creative Foundation forward in its mission for arts led regeneration in Folkestone.’

The two Boards of Trustees of the Roger De Haan Charitable Trust and The Creative Foundation have agreed to establish and administer respectively a fund to encourage new festivals and artistic events. The purpose is to enliven and animate the arts scene in and around the old town and encourage participatory events for the benefit of the community and visitors alike. It is anticipated that projects will benefit from seed-corn funding to help realise projects that have merit and that might otherwise struggle to reach fruition.  It is not envisaged that this should be the sole funding source.

A selection panel will determine the allocation of the funds available, and will consider applications from arts groups or organisations based in the Folkestone area with aspirations to develop:
•               New and exciting festival ideas based around the Creative Quarter and harbour
•               Artistic displays or exhibitions by local groups
•               Live performance or street animation
The selection panel may use some or all of the following criteria when assessing applications:
•               Demonstration of a sound, practical delivery plan
•               How support and volunteers will be mobilised to contribute to the event
•               Evidence of community engagement
•               A sensible approach to finance and evaluation

How to apply:
Applications to the Arts and Festivals fund should be forwarded by e-mail to info@creativefoundation.org.uk or by post to The Chief Executive, Creative Foundation, 65-69 Tontine St, Folkestone CT20 1JR.
There is no timetable for applications, and the selection panel will meet as required, but please endeavour to apply at least three months in advance of the proposed date of the planned project.

Alongside the artworks commissioned for the Triennial itself, the Fringe will push Folkestone’s thriving local creative community to the fore. From theatre performances, dance, film installations, interactive poetry workshops and mixed art installations to photography, literature, body painting, sculpture and painting, there is sure to be something for most tastes.

Visit the Folkestone Triennial website here for more details.