Jonathan Holloway to leave Norfolk and Norwich Festival

Jonathan Holloway, the artistic director of the Norfolk and Norwich Festival, is to step down from his role to take up a new post in Australia.

He will become the artistic director at the Perth International Arts Festival, starting in 2012.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as director of the Norfolk and Norwich Festival, guiding it through a period of huge growth " said Jonathan.

The 2010 festival secured record audiences of around 278,000 people.

"Norwich is a wonderful city filled with amazing people, and both the city and the surrounding area create a tremendous backdrop for the arts," said Jonathan.

"I am now working on the programme for the May 2011 Norfolk and Norwich Festival, which will be my seventh and last, and remain optimistic and excited by the possibilities in the East of England.

"I have always said, casually, that there is only a handful of jobs in the world that I want to do at this time. Perth International Arts Festival in Western Australia, is one of them," he added.

Since 2005 the Norfolk and Norwich Festival has seen audiences rise from 35,000 to 278,000 and ticket sales triple to over a third of a million pounds, making it the fourth largest city arts festival in the UK.