News article

The European Festivals Association is proud and honoured to announce the President of the EFFE International Jury 2017-2018: Sir Jonathan Mills. He will chair the second edition of EFFE - Europe for Festivals, Festivals for Europe, implementing the EU’s ambition to establish a new European Label for Festivals. Sir Jonathan Mills is a prominent, Australian-born composer and festival director. His work including several operas and works for chamber ensemble and orchestra has been recognised by awards from the governments of Australia, Great Britain, France, Poland and South Korea. He has been director of various festivals in the Blue Mountains (near Sydney), Brisbane, Melbourne and Edinburgh, UK where he was the director of the Edinburgh International Festival between 2007 and 2014. He is currently Director of the Edinburgh International Culture Summit, a UNESCO recognised, biennial meeting held in conjunction with Edinburgh’s summer festivals, Visiting Professor at the University of Edinburgh and Vice-Chancellor’s (Professorial) Fellow at the University of Melbourne.

Sir Jonathan Mills: “International cooperation is a reality and a necessity; for the arts, the artists and for festival audiences. I am glad to nominate, together with my fellow Jury members, the EFFE Label and Award 2017-2018 recipients and honour festivals for their important work all over Europe. In EFFE, they will be part of a strong international community of festival makers.”

Together with a group of renowned festival personalities, Sir Jonathan Mills will lead the work of the EFFE International Jury in the next months. Its main task is to nominate the EFFE Label and Award recipients for the second edition. The announcement of the EFFE Label will take place on 4 May in Wiesbaden, Germany hosted by the Rheingau Musik Festival .The Award Ceremony is foreseen in September. More information about the International Festival Jury members will follow soon.

Deadline to apply for the EFFE Label is 17 February.