Swaledale Festival appoints artistic director

Swaledale Festival, which presents an annual celebration of music, arts and walking in the Yorkshire Dales, has announced the appointment of Fraser Wilson as its new artistic director. Wilson succeeds previous director Malcolm Creese, who held the role for 17 years.

Wilson joins the Yorkshire Dales festival from Suffolk-based music charity Britten Pears Arts where he was head of performance and public engagement, and was closely involved in programmes including the Aldeburgh Festival.

Wilson said: ‘It is exciting to think about where the festival could go and how we can achieve it together. I am looking forward to the adventure of discovering that with the team, with musicians and artists from near and far, with our many visitors, and with the whole Dales community. It will be especially important for us to consider who we don’t yet connect with, and to bring a warm invitation to more and different people to be part of it. I would like the Festival to be neighbourly in its community, to welcome visitors and creative ideas from far and wide, and to be a source of colour, inspiration and joy – reflecting the unique nature of this place and its people.’

Wilson brings to his new role two decades of experience as an arts administrator and professional music-maker. At Sheffield’s Music in the Round he led learning and participation, while at Norfolk & Norwich Festival Bridge, he worked to improve cultural education for children and young people in East Anglia. As a composer/arranger he is an associate composer with the choral group Apollo5.