Introducing Hilary Copeland as the IWC Acting Director

We are very pleased to welcome Hilary Copeland to our team! Hilary will act as our new Acting Director, in Valerie Bistany‘s stead during her partial sabbatical year.

Hilary Copeland has worked in arts management for over ten years, for festivals, arts and theatre companies and nonprofits in Edinburgh and Belfast. She has worked across business management, strategic planning, creative programming and event delivery. Hilary started her career in literature at the Stanza Poetry Festival and The Byre Theatre before joining the Programming Team at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. She has worked for clients including NI Science Festival, Kabosh, Culture Northern Ireland, Whittrick Press, Belfast Book Festival and Young at Art. Hilary led long-standing arts and cultural institution The John Hewitt Society from 2013 – 2019, where she ran the John Hewitt International Summer School and established the Hillsborough Festival of Literature & Ideas. She is Literary Advisor for the Belfast International Arts Festival, a board member of the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival, and trustee of Integrated AlumNI.