Róise Goan, the former director of Dublin Fringe Festival, is to take over from Willie White as head of Dublin Theatre Festival.
She will become its artistic director and chief executive in February 2025.
Mr White, who has run the festival since 2012, had announced that he would step down once he had completed the 2024 event, which ended earlier this month.
“It is a great honour for me to return to my hometown to lead Dublin Theatre Festival, which has shaped and inspired my love of theatre and my passion for the transformative impact festivals can have on audiences and the very fabric of a city,” said Ms Goan, who is currently artistic co-ordinator of the Viernulvier arts institution in Belgium.
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She was head of Dublin Fringe Festival between 2008 and 2013.
“I look forward to picking up the baton from Willie White and working with a fantastic team and board at DTF in the new year, and starting to work with excellent artists from all over the world on creating the very best festival we can for the people of Dublin.”
Ms Goan, who studied drama and theatre at Trinity College Dublin, has worked as an artist, producer, programmer and dramaturge in the performing arts. She has also written for television, most notably for the TG4 series Aifric.
Una Carmody, chair of Dublin Theatre Festival, says the board “could not be more pleased to have Róise Goan return to Dublin and bring her particular mix of intelligent programming and great fun to the festival.
“We are very excited to see how she will increase the reach and impact of our festival, with her depth of knowledge of the city, as well as her breadth of international experience, and lead the team to achieve even more. The current discussions around Dublin and its character and nature are an opportune time to introduce her unique voice to the discourse.”
