'Dynamic' Niven replaces Barley as EIBF head

Producer and director Jenny Niven, formerly head of literature of Creative Scotland, will replace Nick Barley as director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival (EIBF) in September.

Niven will begin her new role after Barley has overseen his final festival programme following his 14 years at the helm. She will join the team as the organisation prepares to move to its new permanent home at the Edinburgh Futures Institute, a landmark development based on the site of the old Royal Infirmary on Lauriston Place, in 2024.

Niven is founder and director of the award-winning festival, Push the Boat Out, and is executive producer of Dandelion, a community-based sustainability organisation. Previously she was the head of literature at Creative Scotland and appeared in The List’s "Hot 100" people focused on Scotland’s arts and cultural landscape in 2022.

Barley said: “I am over the moon that Jenny Niven has been chosen to take over from me as the next director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Jenny has a stellar reputation in the world of literature and culture, both in Scotland and elsewhere. She is open-minded, dynamic and – vitally for this role – a good listener who knows that running a festival is a team game. On top of that, her creativity, connections and enthusiasm will be a huge asset to the festival.”

Niven commented: “The festival has influenced Scottish culture, and shaped the development of book festivals globally, for 40 years. There’s no greater platform to bring together the conversations that we need to have, to celebrate the role of creativity, imagination and story in understanding and reshaping the world around us, and to demonstrate that exploring the world collectively via books and ideas is one of the most rewarding and enriching experiences you can have.”

She added: “The opportunity to reimagine the festival in its exciting new home at the Edinburgh Futures Institute, and to lead the organisation at such a pivotal time for Scotland’s cultural life, is an honour. Following the inspirational lead of Nick and his predecessors, I am excited to begin working with the impressive festival team and board, and the incredible network of partners the festival has cultivated in Scotland and beyond, to build on the festival’s stellar reputation and to shape its future.”

Allan Little, chair of the EIBF board of directors, said: “We are very excited to welcome Jenny Niven as the new director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Nick leaves incredibly big shoes to fill, but Jenny is no stranger to the festival or the world of the written word here in Scotland and indeed further afield, and we look forward to seeing what she brings to this new Book Festival chapter.”

It was announced in February that Barley would step down in September after delivering 14 editions of the festival. He has recently been appointed Professor in Practice at Durham University. In November EIBF announced a "heartbreaking" scaling down due to the cost of living crisis.

The news comes shortly after The Bookseller recently heard that festivals are feeling some competition with theatre-style author tours.