Sheehy brings huge amounts of experience to the role, having helmed Sydney Festival, Melbourne International Arts Festival and Adelaide Festival, as well as having led Melbourne Theatre Company for nearly a decade.
His work with Adelaide Festival is particularly impressive, having reversed a significant financial deficit and returned the festival to a robust surplus in less than a year.
Sheehy was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for his services to the arts in 2012.
“Destination NSW is delighted to welcome Brett Sheehy AO as the new festival director of Vivid Sydney,” said Destination NSW CEO, Karen Jones.
“His creative vision and industry expertise will elevate Vivid Sydney’s position as one of the world’s most iconic major events.
“We also extend our sincere thanks to outgoing festival director Gill Minervini for her passion, creativity and dedication over her past four years, which have been instrumental in shaping the festival’s success.”
Minervini announced in April that she was leaving after this year’s festival.
Sheehy called his selection to lead Vivid Sydney “an absolute thrill”.
“Sydney has remained my chosen home-base since the 1980s and my love for this city has never faded,” he said.
“When Vivid Sydney appeared on the nation’s festivals calendar 16 years ago, I coveted the possibility of one day being its director and I could not be happier that day has now come.
“Vivid Sydney uses the greatest natural canvas in the world to showcase a joyous celebration of light, art, ideas music, performance and our stellar food culture.
“This new era will build on Vivid Sydney’s extraordinary legacy and with our outstanding team I’m confident we’ll deliver to Sydney, to Australia and the world a suite of knockout festivals which will be the envy of every creative city on the planet.”
Vivid Sydney is Australia’s largest event, with more than 2.5 million visitors to this year’s festival which ran over 23 nights in May and June.
