Brighton Fringe CEO To Step Down After This Year's Festival

Brighton Fringe has announced that its Chief Executive Officer, Julian Caddy, will step down in June 2023, after the conclusion of this year’s festival.  

Julian was appointed to the role in October 2011 and led the organisation through a sustained period of growth, also guiding it through the Covid pandemic and the immediate aftermath. 

Under his leadership, Brighton Fringe has given out more than 300 bursaries and awards with support totalling over £150,000. It has also grown its ‘Fringe Academy’ education programme, developed its international relationships and seasons, helped establish Brighton Spiegeltent in 2013 and this year will be setting up a brand-new fringe venue, Caravanserai, north of St Peter’s Church. 

The scale of the festival has also grown significantly during Julian’s time in post, seeing a more than tripling of audiences and artists’ revenues between 2011 and 2019, with the number of events increasing from 600 to 1,000 over the same period. 

Brighton Fringe was hard hit by the Covid lockdowns, with the festival forced to cancel its May 2020 event, just six weeks before it was due to begin and more than £100,000 in tickets already sold.  However, though facing considerable obstacles, Brighton Fringe remained committed to supporting the arts community with an Autumn Season of both in-person and digital events in 2020 and a more full-scale festival in 2021, despite continued restrictions.   

The 2023 Brighton Fringe season will take place between May 5 and June 4, featuring nearly 800 events in over 100 venues and pre-sales are already over 70% ahead of where they were at the same time last year. 

Incoming Chair of Brighton Fringe Ltd. Duncan Lustig-Prean said:

“For nearly twelve years Julian has led Brighton Fringe with great passion, huge energy, and distinction enabling it to grow to one of the largest Fringe Festivals in the world. He leaves an incredible legacy and will be a hard act to follow.” 

Jamie Arnell, the outgoing Chair of Brighton Fringe Ltd. and co-Director of Brighton Fringe’s principal funder the Pebble Trust, said:

“Julian has given so much to the Fringe over his tenure.  He has helped the Fringe tough out the last few turbulent years and,  looking back a little further, he has overseen a period of dramatic growth for what has become England’s largest open access arts festival.  

"We will miss his energy, his enthusiasm and of course his Brighton Fringe award ceremony outfits.  While it is hard to say goodbye, we all wish him the best in his new role, and we know that there will be a part of him that is forever Brighton Fringe.” 

Donna Chisholm, Executive Director of Environment, Economy and Culture at Brighton & Hove City Council said:

“Over the past twelve years Julian’s creativity and resilience, as CEO of Brighton Fringe, has contributed a great deal to what makes our city so special, so his move is a loss.“ 

Julian Caddy said:

“First and foremost, we have a festival starting in May and we want and need it to be brilliant, so for as long as I am at Brighton Fringe, I am here to do the best I can to ensure that it is. It feels surreal to be leaving after so long though and it is still sinking in.

"The Fringe has come to be part of my identity and I have lived and breathed it over the past decade or more. Whilst it has not been without its challenges, it has been a huge privilege to be able to work for an organisation and festival which touches so many people’s lives.

"Providing a platform and voice for everyone is more important than ever and I am pleased that Brighton Fringe has been there to support artists and venues, especially over the past three years. In leaving, I look forward to seeing what the next person will do to take things even further and I am so grateful to the brilliant staff team and Board, who go above and beyond to make things happen.

"Finally, and most importantly, I would like to thank all the participants, venues, partners, funders, sponsors, volunteers, friends, reviewers, photographers and of course the audiences for making Brighton Fringe what it is. I will miss it.” 

Julian will be joining North Yorkshire Council as Director of the Scarborough Fair, creating four individual events each year, including a winter light festival, an affordable art trail, a street art festival and a major music and extreme sports festival. He also intends to set up a brand-new fringe festival in the town. 

Brighton Fringe Ltd will begin recruitment for a new CEO in June 2023.

Brighton Fringe 2023 runs from June 4 to May 5, 2023 with nearly 800 events taking place across the city.

Tickets are available to browse and book now brightonfringe.org