British arts festival organizer to lecture in Hanoi

The former Chairman of the British Arts Festivals Association, Nick Dodds, is coming to Hanoi for the first time to hold lectures on hosting art festivals from Mar 17-20.
The British Council in Hanoi will bring Dodds, who is also the former Administrative Director of the Edinburgh International Festival in Scotland, to teach 25 organizers and managers from the cultural and art departments in Hanoi; Ho Chi Minh City; the northern province of Quang Nam; and the Central provinces of Quang Nam, Thua Thien – Hue and city of Danang.
As well as Dodds’ lectures the British Council will provide practical experience for participants in cross-cultural events hosted by the Council.
BG’s Vice Director Simon Beardow told a press conference that the classes would cover areas such as financial mobilization and allocation, planning business strategy, audience development, art directing, and technical classes in lighting, sound and staging.
Dodds’ classes will be part of an ongoing project “Training skills in managing and organizing art festivals” presented by BG from 2010 to 2012. The program is supervised by Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Dodds is also former chairman of the European International Festival and Events Association and has worked closely with the Edinburgh Festival Directors Frank Dunlop and Brian McMaster.
From 2000 to 2008, he worked as Chief Executive of Brighton Dome and Brighton Festival.
He has an extensive network of festival and event producers across the world.