Festival of Colour director Philip Tremewen says his appointment to head the troubled Christchurch Arts Festival will not clash with his duties to the growing Wanaka arts event he helped launch in 2005.
Mr Tremewen, of Wellington, said yesterday he foresaw no problems in juggling his responsibilities to the two South Island festivals.
"Previously, I was director of the Tauranga Arts Festival so I'm used to filling dual roles," he said.
The Festival of Colour had established itself as a "great testing ground" and the Christchurch Arts Festival would benefit from the profile of shows that premiered at the Wanaka arts event.
Mr Tremewen has helped grow Wanaka's Festival of Colour to include venues around Central Otago, since the biennial arts event launched in 2005.
"It's definitely a festival which is very dear to my heart," he said.
However, he signalled his departure from the Festival of Colour was in the wings.
Two replacements were trained before he left the Tauranga Arts Festival directorship and this would happen at Wanaka's Festival of Colour.
"It certainly won't be this year.
"But one day, some day, I'll sit down with the festival trustees and we will look to plan for someone else to take over," Mr Tremewen said.
Leaving the Tauranga Arts Festival had left a "gap in my schedule" which had resulted in his application to head the Christchurch Arts Festival.
The Press reported the Christchurch event had a troubled 2009, after a reported $500,000 loss, the departure of director Guy Boyce, and administrative staff lay-offs.
A $177,000 grant from the Christchurch City Council and a $300,000 loan, repayable over three years, has secured the festival's mid-term future.
The problems were in the past, Mr Tremewen said.
"Every festival is the same. Once they are over, you look ahead to the next one and go out to secure the funding you need," he said.
