ORGANISERS of one of the region's biggest arts festivals have advertised for a new artistic director.

This year will be the 14th Stockton Riverside International Festival, and last year's event was the largest millennium festival held anywhere in the country.

Stockton Borough Council has placed adverts in national newspapers appealing for an artistic director to run this year's festival.

A spokesman for the council said: "Like every council service the festival must certainly endeavour to meet the requirements of Best Value."

Last year, the festival was directed by Frank Wilson, the former head of the Arc centre ,in Stockton