Auckland Festival director out in cold

By BRIAN RUDMAN

Auckland Festival director Simon Prast has been dumped, "effective immediately", just eight months out from next February's AK05.

New festival trust chairman Richard Waddel said Mr Prast's role was redundant now the board and management had been restructured.

The director's role will be replaced by a chief executive, as the senior on-going festival manager, and an artistic director.

Mr Waddel said the restructuring "was no reflection on Simon, it was necessary to build a stronger organisation as we go forward".

"He's quite at liberty to be considered for the chief executive's job, it's all about the right sort of skill sets for the right job."

The festival would still take place next February. Asked if a programme were in place he said there was a draft but nothing more.

Mr Prast was appointed in February 2003, seven months before the first festival. His predecessor had been sacked after six months.

A report to December's meeting of the Auckland City recreation committee hailed his appointment as "a major coup".

Auckland City arts planner Liz Civil noted that the fact the festival took place "was without doubt a remarkable achievement and is a credit to the skills, capability and professionalism of the festival staff".