My Scarborough Day - with Julian Caddy, festival director of Scarborough Fair

My mum was born in Thirsk and I’ve always come to Yorkshire on holiday, so starting this job in June last year meant returning to somewhere I love.

I’ve produced festivals since 1996 – Edinburgh Fringe, Jongleurs Comedy tours, Sweet Venues in Edinburgh and as CEO of Brighton Fringe, which runs every May and is England’s largest arts festival.

Scarborough’s potential is immense – the history and heritage is almost unparalleled and the canvas is beautiful.

I want to establish the town as side-by-side with other leading destinations for major arts events – which it has been in the past.

My office is in the Spa, in a unit in the arcade. I’m there by 9am, and can see the lighthouse from my desk.

Scarborough Fair is a brand new organisation and we’re putting together five festivals a year that will celebrate the town and all its creativity.

It will help businesses via extra visitors; it gives locals opportunities to gain creative skills and creates jobs, plus it provides entertainment for everyone. Wrapped up in that is the building of civic pride and a feeling of, ‘This is ours and we’re proud of it.’

We’re engaging with the local creative community as well as connecting with artists from elsewhere – building on what’s here rather than parachuting something in.

During Scarborough Lights, the drone display above Scarborough Castle was very much a Yorkshire undertaking, narrated by members of the SJT youth theatre with a script by Nick Lane, design by Badgers of Bohemia and a drone company creator from Haworth.

To do something so technical in a place of such history was incredible – plus, it sold out.

For me, no two days are the same – I do everything from day-to-day management to budgeting, customer service and managing teams within the council who are on the project – marketing, technical and so on.

Sometimes I have meetings all day, and every meeting leads to more to do – it’s a race to keep up with admin.

I often eat at my desk or not at all but I love Greensmiths Cafe for a sandwich in a quiet corner upstairs, or Koda Cafe on Northway for coffee.

Currently we’re working on all this year’s new festivals – a Street Festival in early May, an Art Festival from June to August for local and regional artists to sell work, using empty shop fronts, lobbies and other spaces, then Scarborough Fringe in June.

Fringe means open-access arts events where anyone can take part.

You register your event, find a venue and run it yourself.

There are no creative limitations and it encompasses everything from community theatre to dance troupes to choirs.

In Brighton, one-third of Fringe events are free and most cost less than £10.

Early September is Scarborough Extreme, a sports and music festival with skateboarding, BMX, surfing, climbing, trick basketball and other cool stuff, plus local bands.

I live with my mum in Filey and I’m home for 7pm to make our dinner and watch Police Car Chase, which she loves, but I often take work home, as starting something from scratch means it’s constant.

To get involved, email [email protected] or visit scarboroughfair.uk

Interview: Yolanda Carslaw