Adelaide festival chief Kate Gould to step down

KATE Gould, the chief executive and associate artistic director of the Adelaide Festival, will step down next year.

KATE Gould, the chief executive and associate artistic director of the Adelaide Festival, will step down next year after a decade at the helm of the world-renowned event.

Ms Gould announced yesterday that she would leave in March at the conclusion of next year's festival program.

She said she was stepping down to embark on a business venture in the property industry.

"It will be emotional leaving the job, but I think it's in good shape," she said. "It's been a long time, but I'm looking forward to watching the festival grow."

She leaves the festival at a crucial time, with David Sefton taking over as artistic director from Paul Grabowsky in 2013 and the festival's program and reputation rising in equal measure.

Ms Gould said she was proud of the work she had achieved and next year's event would represent the apogee of her tenure.

"We have an amazing array of acts and companies, and they're exclusive to Adelaide," she said.

The search for Ms Gould's replacement is to begin immediately.