James was Associate Festival Director of the Edinburgh International Festival from 1992 to 2006 where he worked with Sir Brian McMaster to devise and implement the Festival’s annual programme. This included all aspects of programming 175+ events each year including repertoire, scheduling, contracts, event management and finance with a total budget in excess of £4m. James has delivered multinational, cross-artform projects involving diverse partners and has built long-term working relationships with performing companies and individual artists of the highest international standing. He has extensive negotiating, contracting and production development experience having engaged performers ranging from New York City Ballet to Bryn Terfel and project managed productions involving major figures such as Peter Stein, Claudio, Abbado, and Luc Bondy,. James is fluent in German, French and Italian and has worked widely with artists and companies in Europe, Japan, America, Canada, Australia and Argentina.
He has extensive experience of working with the media in radio, TV and print as well as dealing with broadcast rights and other royalty issues. James led EIF’s IT strategy and was responsible for the project management of software specification, development, testing, procurement and implementation in the areas of scheduling, ticketing and fundraising. He was responsible for the creation of the Festival’s Education Department in 1994 with a large scale project delivered by America’s Mark Morris Dance Group.
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From 1986 to 1992 he was Concerts Director of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. There he was responsible for touring and scheduling including 37 tours in 5 years. He also initiated the orchestra’s highly successful relationship with Sir Charles Mackerras which has confirmed the orchestra’s international standing through many recordings and international festival performances.
During his career, he has twice worked for the international concert agency Van Walsum Management, undertaking a variety of work ranging from orchestral touring through concert promotion to being responsible for the singers department.
As a consultant James has worked for Manchester International Festival, Birmingham City Council, Newcastle City Council, City of London Sinfonia, Baxters Loch Ness Marathon, The Lamp of Lothian Trust the Blair Castle International Horse Trials and the Royal Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh.
As well as acting as an assessor for the National Companies Performing Unit of the Scottish Government and a Scottish Arts Council special advisor James runs courses for producers for the Federation of Scottish Theatres and also lectures in Project Management and Programme Development, Law & Governance, Financial and Strategic Management at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh
With 25 years experience in the sector James has particular expertise in programming, scheduling, budgeting, IT, education, governance, management structures, touring, production development, strategic planning and project management.
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