Adelaide Fringe pays tribute to outgoing director Heather Croall AM
Heather Croall AM steps down after 11 years as director and CEO, leaving Adelaide Fringe as Australia’s largest arts festival.
The announcement:
The Board of Adelaide Fringe today paid tribute to outgoing director, Heather Croall AM, for positioning the festival as the biggest arts festival in Australia.
Heather has been the driving force behind the Adelaide Fringe for 11 years – the longest serving director and CEO in the festival’s 62-year history.
Adelaide Fringe chair, Paul Hamra, recognised that “Heather has brought the community together, supporting artists, venues, and audiences so everyone can experience the joyFringe delivers and the state can reap the benefits”. The Adelaide Fringe has grown in stature under Heather’s visionary leadership, becoming the biggest arts festival in the Southern Hemisphere and the most ticketed festival in Australia, making it an economic and tourism powerhouse and a jewel for South Australia.
Adelaide Fringe has seen significant growth under Heather’s tenure, generating a total expenditure of $197.7 million in 2025, with $144.2 million identified as new money injected into the state economy.
Heather affectionately acknowledged that, “Leading the Fringe for the past decade has been one of the greatest honours of my life. It has been a privilege to work alongside such passionate colleagues, artists, volunteers, and supporters, people whose creativity and dedication make the Fringe such an amazing, vibrant, daring and unique festival. It’s a massive collaboration and together, we present something truly remarkable every year.”
Recruitment underway for director of the biggest arts festival in the Southern Hemisphere
As Adelaide Fringe begins the search for its next director and CEO, the eventual appointee will inherit a truly celebrated, award-winning festival. Under Heather Croall’s stewardship, Adelaide Fringe recently secured Gold in Major Festivals and Events at the 2025 South Australian Tourism Awards, was inducted into the Hall of Fame for Excellence in Accessible Tourism, and was voted Australian Traveller Readers’ Choice Best Festival to Travel For in 2025.
Adelaide Fringe chair, Paul Hamra said, “Adelaide Fringe is a global destination for culture seekers, arts lovers and artists, the board has very high ambitions for the next phase of growth, building on the work Heather and her team have been able to achieve. We all deserve the best arts leader to take the reins of the Fringe.
“As with any evolving organisation, change brings new opportunities. Heather leaves Adelaide Fringe in an exceptionally strong position and with Fringe 2026 preparations already well advanced, the executive team is well-prepared to lead the operations and continue the momentum to deliver another exciting and successful festival season.
“They are big shoes to fill – but we will find the best arts entrepreneur to take Adelaide Fringe from strength to strength and in new directions in the years ahead,” said Hamra.
A global recruitment process will commence this week, with the Adelaide Fringe Board appointing Aegeus Executive Search to assist.
The 2026 season of Adelaide Fringe will run from 20 February to 22 March.
Source: Media Faction
