June 30, 2023 – AARHUS, DK (vip-booking) Rikke Andersen will become the next director of the Danish showcase festival SPOT when SPOT founder Gunnar K. Madsen steps down at the end of the year.
After nearly 30 years, SPOT needed a new director, and the choice has fallen on Andersen, who will assume the position starting on December 1, 2023. She will take over the director’s chair from Gunnar K. Madsen, who founded SPOT Festival in 1994 and has decided to pass the torch in the new year.
“Out of a strong field of applicants, Rikke’s professional and personal qualities stand out, and we are convinced that with her relevant experience, she is the perfect choice to continue the development of SPOT,” says Lena Brostrøm, board chair for SPOT Festival, regarding the selection of the new director appointed by the board.
Since 2018, Rikke Andersen has been the venue manager and booker at Fermaten in Herning, where she has been the daily manager for eight permanent employees and over 100 volunteers. During her time at the venue, Rikke Andersen has focused on local, regional, and national collaborations and strengthening the local music and cultural environment, which aligns well with her upcoming work with SPOT Festival.
“I am delighted to take on the role of director for the SPOT Festival. SPOT Festival means a lot to me personally, and I approach the task with great humility. At the same time, I am excited about the opportunity to work even more with some of the areas that are important to me, namely the work with emerging artists and diversity,” says Rikke Andersen, who is looking forward to leading the Aarhus festival.
She continues: “My goal is to ensure that SPOT Festival remains one of the most important windows to the new Danish music scene while strengthening our collaboration with the industry and creating even greater visibility around the festival. And I am excited to collaborate with the secretariat and SPOT`s board.”
Before becoming the venue manager for Fermaten, Rikke Andersen was involved in various projects in the music industry, including Aarhus Calling, Levende Musik i Skolen, and Recart Music. Rikke Andersen has also been heavily involved in multiple board work, currently serving on Den Jyske Kunstfond, Dansk Live, and Tempi boards.
