The annual meeting of the Reykjavík Arts Festival Council of Representatives took place at the Culture House on Thursday, November 14, and was very well attended. Membership in the Council includes all major cultural institutions in the country and professional associations of artists.

Mayor Einar Þorsteinsson assumed the chairmanship of the Council of Representatives from Minister of Culture Lilja Dögg Alfreðsdóttir, as the positions of chairman and vice-chairman are alternated between the minister and the mayor every two years.

Margrét M. Norðdahl, who had served on the Reykjavík Arts Festival Board on behalf of the mayor since 2014, stepped down, and her dedicated contributions to the festival were acknowledged with warm applause. The mayor's new representative on the board is Katrín Jakobsdóttir, who will chair the board for the next two years, while the outgoing chairman, Sigtryggur Magnason, assumes the role of vice-chairman and continues as the minister's representative. Tryggvi M. Baldvinsson remains on the board representing the Council of Representatives.

As usual, the meeting featured several presentations that provided an overview of the past year’s activities at Reykjavík Arts Festival.

Chairman of the board, Sigtryggur Magnason presented the board's yearly report.

Outgoing Artistic Director Vigdís Jakobsdóttir delivered a report on the recently concluded 2024 festival, which was also her final one. This year’s festival was exceptionally well attended, involving around 900 artists. Vigdís took the opportunity to thank the Council of Representatives for invaluable collaboration over the years, having started with the festival in 2016 and been reappointed in 2020.

The Executive Director, Fjóla Dögg Sverrisdóttir presented the 2023 financial statements, a summary of the festival's accounts, and the budget for 2024–2025. The festival’s financial standing is strong, and this year’s results were in line with projections.

Newly appointed Artistic Director Lára Sóley Jóhannsdóttir shared her vision for the festival’s future, saying, among other things:

“It is a great honour for me to have the opportunity to contribute to Reykjavík Arts Festival and to build upon the tireless, selfless, and outstanding work that has characterized the festival. Above all, I envision a festival where we all feel we belong to an open, inclusive, and progressive community, where the arts deepen and broaden our humanity.”

The mayor presented flowers to both Margrét M. Norðdahl and Vigdís Jakobsdóttir as a gesture of gratitude for their outstanding contributions to the festival and the city’s cultural life. The meeting attendees echoed his sentiments with enthusiastic applause.