IAIN Grandage has been appointed Perth Festival artistic director for 2020-23.
The WA-raised and educated composer and music director will succeed current artistic director Wendy Martin after the 2019 Perth Festival.
Grandage, who studied at UWA and has worked with Black Swan State Theatre Company, WASO and WAAPA, was based in Melbourne for the past decade.
Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE
Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.
READ NOWHe said after his win at the Helpmann Awards 2017 that he and his family were heading home to Perth to be closer to his parents and before the birth of his second child.
The highly-regarded and talented artist has won seven Helpmann Awards during his career including compositions for Cloudstreet, Secret River, The Rabbits, When Time Stops, Satan Jawa and Meow Meow’s Little Match Girl.
Grandage said he was thrilled at the prospect of leading Perth Festival in the state where he grew up and began his career.
“Perth Festival inspired my journey into the performing arts when I first experienced it in the early 1990s,” he said.
“I hope to similarly energise local artists and audiences by extending the Festival’s foundation mission as a Festival for all people.”
Grandage will start working with Perth Festival later this year to plan and deliver the 2020-23 programs.
The 2019 Perth Festival will run from February 8 to March 3 and the full program will be launched in November.
MORE: Suspicious fire damages Perth tattoo shop
MORE: WA Treasurer Ben Wyatt upset with Budget shortcomings
MORE: Everything you need to know about Federal Budget 2018-19