posted 1 May 2012

Pitlochry Festival Theatre is pleased to announce that Mark Da Vanzo

has been appointed as the organisation’s new Deputy Chief Executive.

Mark with some of the Cast and Director in rehearsal for Rope (from left to right): Elliot Harper, Mark Da Vanzo, Dan Smith, Richard Baron (Director of Rope) and Charlie Tighe.

Mark joins PFT after four years in a senior role at Creative New Zealand, where he was Manager of Arts Investments. Prior to that, Mark worked as TV Operations Manager for the Walt Disney Company in London and as Head of Business for Arts & Business London.

John Durnin, Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s Chief Executive and Artistic Director, said: “We are delighted to welcome Mark to PFT. Mark joins us as major new developments at the Theatre in the Hills are under consideration and his experience in the commercial and corporate sectors and his business management expertise will have a big impact on our plans for the future.”

Mr. Durnin continued: “This new post within the Senior Management team has been created thanks to a funding award from the Scottish Government’s new Enterprise Growth Fund (EGF). It has been very reassuring to know that our ambitious plans to expand and develop PFT’s work in the future have been so well received by the Scottish Government.

Mark will have a large part to play in ensuring that some of our ambitious plans for the future can be delivered, including a large capital development of PFT’s current site, which is currently the subject of a major feasibility study commissioned by Perth & Kinross Council, Scottish Enterprise and Creative Scotland. The expansion of the senior management team at PFT is essential to the success of these plans and we’re exceptionally grateful to the Scottish Government for providing the funding needed to make this possible”.

And Mark has joined us just in time for lift off of Flights of Fancy, the 2012 Summer Season of six plays and musicals, so he'll be getting to know how PFT works when we’re at our busiest!”

Mark Da Vanzo said: “I am delighted to be joining Pitlochry Festival Theatre. During these challenging economic times, arts organisations throughout the UK are operating under great strain. Here at the wonderful Theatre in the Hills it’s no different, but I’m excited to join such a unique and ambitious organisation which is close to the heart of thousands of theatre goers in the UK.

A top priority of mine will be not only the day-to-day operational and administrative management of the organisation, but the development a number of new income generating strands and services at PFT, as well as managing fundraising and regular giving scheme activities.”