Carlotta Luke
ANDREW COMBEN has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Britten Pears Arts succeeding ROGER WRIGHT CBE, who will stand down in July after 10 years at the helm.
Comben, who takes up the role in September 2024, joins Britten Pears Arts from Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival where he has been Chief Executive since 2008.
Originally from Australia, he has worked in the arts in the UK since 1993 in senior leadership roles at Wigmore Hall and at Britten Pears Arts where he was Director of its Young Artist Programme.
At Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival he established the annual guest director model for Brighton Festival, with artists such as Anish Kapoor, Laurie Anderson, Kae Tempest, Lemn Sissay and Frank Cottrell-Boyce.
Comben commented: "The last sixteen years at Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival have been the most enjoyable, mind-stretching and challenging of my career and I have been honoured to lead such a committed and talented team, guided by such an insightful and supportive board of trustees."
Of his new appointment, he added: "The legacy of Britten and Pears, and the work of the organisation that has grown from their vision, is a beacon for artists and audiences and for anyone passionate about the role music and the arts can play in society. I am honoured to become the next Chief Executive of Britten Pears Arts, and I look forward to working with its brilliant staff team and board to develop its next chapter together."
Sir SIMON ROBEY, Chair of the Board at Britten Pears Arts commented: "Andrew has built loyal audiences in Brighton, has a great love for and commitment to the arts, and is passionate about working in the community and with young people – all things that are central to Britten Pears Arts’ work... The whole board joins me in welcoming him."
DANNY HOMAN, Chair of Trustees, Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival said: "We are enormously sad that the time has come for Andrew to move on after leading Brighton Dome, Brighton Festival and Create Music with such skill and distinction. During his tenure, Andrew and his team have transformed our organisation and he leaves us in robust health and full of creativity and ambition. Andrew will be missed by colleagues and stakeholders across the city and the region where he has had such a positive and enduring impact. The trustees and I are hugely grateful for all his hard work and accomplishments and wish him well with his new challenge.’
Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival will launch the search for a new Chief Executive shortly.