THE new director of the Swaledale festival hopes his contacts in the arts world across Europe will give an international dimension to the annual event.

Mr Philip Parr, a freelance opera director, took over the organisation of the two-week festival from Mrs Elizabeth Carter, director for seven years.

American-born Mr Parr lived in Australia before coming to Britain 12 years ago and is based in London, although he travels extensively with his work.

"I knew about the Swaledale festival. Colleagues and friends had been involved in it and when the post of director came up, I was keen to apply," he said during a visit to Reeth.

"I enjoy the combination of management and artistic work and had always wanted to run a festival.

"The Swaledale festival is a major arts provider in the area. Its importance is wider than the 2 weeks that it runs. Part of what I want to do is embed that in the community and in the wider regional, national and international arts world."

He said the festival area, extending into Wensleydale, provided a chance to use attractive, smaller venues in the dramatic setting of the dales.

"We are working in such a spectacular environment, a combination of the natural beauty and fine art, which is something people should be prepared to travel for," he said.

"There are some fantastic locations and venues and every one is different. I am in the process of seeing them to select the right setting for each aspect of the festival. I am already trying to work out where the best opera house is."

He felt Mrs Carter had left a valuable legacy in the form of a very stable organisation, including the army of volunteers who kept the festival running each year.

"The people who make it work are the volunteers. They are crucial to its success."

Mr Parr, aged 38, hopes to expand the international flavour which has touched the festival in recent years. "I want to try to bring an international dimension, perhaps by looking at collaborating with other festivals and using some of my contacts in Europe," he said.

He has worked with the organisers of the Riga early music festival in Latvia and with the Scandinavians jointly involved in running an arts festival at Caithness in Scotland.

He also hopes artists and performers will create works especially for the Swaledale festival, which takes place from the last week of May.

The post of director is a half-time job which will dovetail with his other freelance work, although in his first year he anticipates spending slightly more time on the event.

"I hope to be up here in the dales a lot getting a feel for the place. I don't think it is a festival that you can run from long distance," he said.

He supports Richmondshire council's moves towards a district-wide arts strategy, a draft for which was adopted by the authority last week.

"This is a very positive move for the district and there is no doubt the Swaledale festival is one of the key players in that.