The search is on for a world-class Director of Culture and Creative Industries to take the helm at Manchester City Council as the city's current Director, Dave Moutrey OBE, retires from his role in the coming months.
Considered by many to be the best job in culture in any UK city, the vacancy has arisen after a decision by Dave to retire, calling time on a career in culture and the arts in Manchester that goes back over 40 years.
He plans instead to turn his hand to writing, with his first book, about arts centres across the UK - something he is uniquely well-placed to be able to write about - already well underway.
Dave's cultural career in Manchester began more than four decades ago when he became Theatre Manager at Abraham Moss Centre Theatre in April 1984 - a post he held until 1990 when he became Chief Executive and founding Director for eight years of regional arts marketing consortium Arts About Manchester Ltd, and during which time he was also Director of Marketing for Manchester City of Drama in 1994.
He continued in his role at Arts About Manchester until 1998, when he became Director and Chief Executive of Cornerhouse in Manchester, a position he held for 14 years - leading the organisation into its transformation as HOME, Manchester's international centre for theatre, film, and contemporary visual arts, of which Dave was Director and Chief Executive from 2012 - 2024.
Dave's appointment in April 2024 to his current role as Director of Culture and Creative Industries for the city council, followed a six-year secondment to the council as Director of Culture, during which he played a central role in shaping Manchester's long-term cultural strategy and embedding culture within wider policy frameworks, including regeneration, health, skills, and the economy.
His time at the city council has also seen him lead the development of Manchester's creative industries strategy and a number of other high-profile international and sector-facing initiatives, including establishing Manchester as the first UK member of the international Music City network, leading Manchester's team as Guest City last year at La Mercè Festival in Barcelona, and securing major global events such as WOMEX and the ISPA World Congress for Manchester.
He was also part of the senior leadership group that helped secure the BRIT Awards and MOBO Awards for the city, reinforcing Manchester's position as a major international events destination.
Another key strand of Dave's recent work has involved culture-led regeneration, including leading the development of the Wythenshawe Culture Hub, which is set to put culture at the very heart of the community in what is one of Manchester's largest neighbourhoods.
Dave Moutrey OBE, Director of Culture and Creative Industries, Manchester City Council, said: "I can honestly say that working in culture and the arts here in Manchester all this time has been 43 years of absolute privilege, working with so many talented artists, organisations, and partners in shaping Manchester's cultural life. At times of course challenging, but more often the most enormous fun, and I'm extremely proud of what we have achieved together - from creating fantastic venues to embedding culture at the heart of the city's future. I've loved it.
"What has always made this work worthwhile is the responsiveness of our communities here in Manchester and the value they and the city council place on culture. That, combined with the can-do, collegiate spirit of our artists and institutions makes working in this sector in Manchester truly special.
"I'd like to thank everyone I've been lucky enough to work with through the years across the council, the cultural and creative industries, and our communities, for their support, collaboration and shared ambition.
"Our cultural and creative industries strategies will always be works in progress as the city responds to new opportunities and challenges, but I leave knowing that the foundations are strong and the momentum our team has built will carry forward into an ambitious and even more exciting future for culture and the arts in Manchester."
Dave's decision to retire from his job at the age of 68 and more than 40 years working in culture and the arts in Manchester, means the hunt is now on for someone new to step in and lead Manchester into the future as one of the world's most distinctive cultural cities.
Regarded as one of the most senior local authority culture roles anywhere in the UK, with significant national and international influence, the city council is looking for an exceptional Director of Culture and Creative Industries.
The role provides strategic leadership for Manchester's cultural and creative sector, from world-class institutions and major events to grassroots venues, creative businesses, and neighbourhood-based activity.
The postholder will oversee a rich and varied portfolio, balancing globally significant events and institutions, with vital support for grassroots culture, including music venues and community-led initiatives that are essential to the city's creative ecosystem.
The Director will also lead significant capital, commissioning and regeneration activity, as well as legacy projects linked to culture and the creative industries - including the refurbishment of Bridgewater Hall and the development of the Wythenshawe Culture Hub.
Tom Stannard, Chief Executive, Manchester City Council, said: "Dave has made a significant difference to the cultural landscape of the city in his forty years-plus working here and without his drive and commitment to culture and the arts during this time, the city would I'm sure be a very different place.
"It's no small thanks to him - and also to the many others working within the city's cultural ecosystem - that we find ourselves in the position we do as a city at the forefront of culture and the arts.
"Dave's retirement presents a rare opportunity for someone to join us and take the lead in shaping Manchester's cultural future into the next forty years and beyond - balancing our unashamedly global ambition with local impact that is felt in all our communities across the city."
The successful candidate will be a nationally credible cultural leader with significant senior level experience in the cultural or creative industries, public sector, or similarly complex environments, who also has a strong track record in creative industries' development, investment, and partnership working, alongside financial and commercial acumen.
Bev Craig OBE, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: "We take culture very seriously here in Manchester and have long embraced the vital contribution it makes to our city and our lives. As someone who has been at the heart of cultural life in the city for over four decades, Dave has played a key part in helping shape the city's cultural narrative and placing us centre-stage as a global city for the arts - and for this we thank him.
"He will undoubtedly be a hard act to follow but we're determined to continue our bold and ambitious approach to culture in the city and will not be taking our foot off the gas. Culture sits at the very heart of our ambitions - not only as a driver of economic growth, but also as a force for real social impact and place-making.
"This is definitely not a job for the faint-hearted - the person we want for this job will share the same drive and ambition we have for Manchester and for our communities, along with the experience, talent and vision needed to further cement Manchester's international standing as one of the most distinctive cultural cities in the world."
Dave is set to retire from his post at the city council on 30 September 2026.