Adelaide Festival executive director Elaine Chia resigns

The executive director of the Adelaide Festival has resigned after just a year and a half to take up a new position interstate.

Adelaide Festival executive director Elaine Chia has resigned and will finish her role in November. Picture: Supplied by Adelaide Festival

Adelaide Festival executive director Elaine Chia has resigned and will finish in November to take up a new role as chief executive of an unnamed, major interstate cultural project.

Ms Chia joined the Festival in March last year and said it had been a privilege to be involved with this year’s event.

“It has been a privilege to spend the past year and half working with a talented team and contributing to making Adelaide Festival one of the best in the world,” Ms Chia said.

The Festival board has appointed former Arts SA head Kathie Massey as an interim executive director to deliver the 2022 event while the search is conducted for a permanent successor.

Ms Chia led this year’s Festival team through multiple pandemic-related challenges to surpass its box office, sponsorship and philanthropy targets, generating $42.5m gross expenditure for SA.

Festival chair Judy Potter thanked Ms Chia for her contribution to the 2021 and upcoming 2022 events.

“We wish her all the best for her future endeavours,” Ms Potter said.