The Dunard Centre is a new world-class performance venue being built in the heart of Edinburgh, located in St Andrew Square. Opening a bold new chapter in the city’s cultural life, it will be Edinburgh’s first purpose-built concert hall for more than a century.
Designed by David Chipperfield Architects with Reiach and Hall Architects, and leading Japanese firm Nagata Acoustics, the Dunard Centre will be an all-purpose venue with a 1,000-seat auditorium at its heart, alongside a café, bars, workshop rooms and recording facilities. It will present exceptional live performance across many genres, including pop, rock, folk, jazz, classical, spoken word and comedy, and ensure that everyone can be part of it.
The Dunard Centre will become home to the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and a new venue for the Edinburgh International Festival. It will be a vibrant, creative and welcoming hub that brings the energy of Edinburgh’s world-famous festival season into a year-round programme, alongside an innovative community and learning offer connecting artists, audiences and communities through meaningful opportunities for participation and lifelong learning.
The Dunard Centre is seeking to appoint an outstanding Director of Programming & Engagement to lead the development and delivery of its artistic programme and engagement strategy. With construction now underway, this is a rare opportunity to shape a once-in-a-century cultural institution at its formative stage.
Reporting to the Chief Executive Dr Jo Buckley, the Director of Programming & Engagement will work closely with the Artistic Advisory Committee and senior colleagues to develop an ambitious artistic vision and ensure the Dunard Centre fulfils its commitment to being a true “Hall for All.” Central to the role will be embedding the belief that “everything is engagement,” ensuring that learning, education and community initiatives are integrated into the programme from the outset and sit at the heart of the venue’s purpose.
The successful candidate will build partnerships and networks locally, nationally and internationally, develop bold collaborations and curated strands, and deliver a diverse programme that balances artistic ambition with commercial sustainability.
Candidates should demonstrate significant senior experience in programming within a performance venue, festival or concert hall, alongside strong musical knowledge and a proven track record of delivering participation and engagement programmes, particularly those supporting young people and emerging talent. The successful candidate will bring excellent leadership and interpersonal skills, strong financial acumen, and the ability to build effective relationships with artists, promoters, partners and stakeholders. A commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion will be essential.
It is expected that the successful candidate will be based in Scotland and will work primarily from the Dunard Centre office, though flexible working arrangements will be considered. Evening and weekend work will be required periodically in line with event schedules.
The Dunard Centre is an Equal Opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all backgrounds. We are particularly committed to supporting applications from individuals from backgrounds or social groups currently underrepresented in the creative industries. Reasonable adjustments will be made throughout the recruitment process in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.
Appointment Process and How to Apply
The Dunard Centre has engaged Perrett Laver to support the recruitment to this post. The closing date for applications is 9am BST on Monday 22nd June 2026 (8459).
For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Samuel Head on Samuel.Head@perrettlaver.com.
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If you would like us to make adjustments during the application process, please contact Esther Elbro at the following email address: Esther.Elbro@perrettlaver.com.
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