Adelaide Festival Centre CEO & Artistic Director Appointed Chair of AAPPAC

Douglas Gautier, the CEO and Artistic Director of Adelaide Festival Centre, has been elected as the Chair for Association of Asia Pacific Performing Arts Centres (AAPPAC) at the annual Conference Daejon in South Korea today.

The Association of Asia Pacific Performing Arts Centres (AAPPAC) is the peak cultural body in the Asia-Pacific region. Its membership includes the Sydney Opera House and performing arts centres in global cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo, Seoul, Honk Kong, Mumbai, Melbourne, Auckland as well as Macau, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand and the Philippines.

Minister Assisting the Minister for the Arts Chloe Fox says, "This is a real honour for Douglas Gautier and I wish him every success in using this new role to lift the profiles of Adelaide and the Adelaide Festival Centre both within the Asia Pacific region and globally.

"For Douglas to be chosen to chair such a pre-eminent regional arts organisation also reflects highly on the Adelaide Festival Centre and our City's reputation as a cultural leader in the region."

The Association of Asia Pacific Performing Arts Centres (AAPPAC) aims to establish the Asia Pacific region as a leader in the performing arts industry; promote the exchange of artistic programmes in arts centres and foster closer ties and better understanding amongst people of the region. In addition, it aims to establish and provide an information network for arts centres and foster the development and growth of technical, administrative and management skills and expertise available within the region.

Douglas Gautier says, "We build on the splendid work of outgoing Chair Benson Puah CEO of Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay in Singapore and Singapore Arts Council, whose dedication to and vision for AAPPAC have been outstanding."

"Adelaide Festival Centre has become a national hub for cultural engagement and our elevation to the leadership of AAPPAC is major global recognition of our achievements to date.

"We have Australia's pre-eminent festival of Asian arts, the OzAsia Festival, the Hawke Institute internship program and the recently announced Asia Pacific Centre for Arts and Cultural Leadership with the University of South Australia, which will bring Arts Administrators from across the region to South Australia to undertake study and internship programs.

"We are also holding an Adelaide Cabaret Festival event in Hong Kong from October 17-21, which will promote South Australia as a cultural, educational and tourism destination."

There is also a Memorandum of Understanding between the Adelaide Festival Centre Trust and the Shandong Government's Department of Culture to establish a collaborative program for the 2014 OzAsia Festival.

Benson Puah, the outgoing Chair says, "I am pleased to handover the Chairmanship of the AAPPAC Executive Council to Douglas and I am confident that under his leadership, further strides will be made to grow the influence of the Association and to enable greater artistic exchanges and sharing of expertise within the region."

The appointment will commence on 9 October 2013.

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