Following the landmark 30th anniversary of its Festival of Flowers in 2026, Chichester Cathedral has begun the search for a creative designer to shape the vision for its next Festival, taking place from 7 – 10 June 2028.
The Cathedral is inviting an experienced designer to take the creative lead as the Festival enters its next chapter – building on a 30-year legacy while bringing a fresh perspective to one of the region’s most anticipated cultural events.
Held every two years, the four-day Festival brings together professional florists, talented volunteers, students and community groups to transform the Cathedral with spectacular floral displays. More than 11,000 people attended the 2026 Festival, with over 50,000 blooms used to create more than 60 displays throughout the Cathedral and its historic spaces.
“The 30th anniversary Festival was an important moment for us, a chance to celebrate everything that has made the Festival so special over the past three decades, but also to look towards its future.
“One of the things we were particularly proud of in 2026 was seeing different generations of floral talent working alongside one another, from highly experienced florists and our extraordinary team of volunteer arrangers to students and emerging designers bringing new ideas and perspectives.
“We’re now looking for a designer who can build on that legacy and bring their own creative vision to 2028. It’s an exciting opportunity to interpret the Cathedral, its heritage and architecture in a new way, while continuing to explore sustainability, British-grown flowers and opportunities to inspire the next generation of floral talent.”
Alison George, Director of Fundraising at Chichester Cathedral
A Festival shaped by leading floral designers
The Festival has a long tradition of working with talented designers to create a distinctive creative identity for each event. Most recently, Caroline Daines of Nordic Twigs led the creative direction for the landmark 2026 Festival, choosing the theme ‘Nature’s Embrace’, which placed sustainability at the heart of the event.
Previous Festival Designers have included Hannah Howell of Whimsy Flowers, The Hon Lady Fiona Barttelot, Hilary Tupper and John Brookes MBE, each bringing their own creative interpretation to the Cathedral and its extraordinary architectural setting. The appointment of the 2028 Festival Designer will continue that tradition while helping to shape how the Festival evolves beyond its 30th anniversary.
Thirty years of flowers and a Festival looking forward
Since its beginnings, Chichester Cathedral’s Festival of Flowers has grown into a major event with a loyal following and extensive regional and national media coverage. Its 30th anniversary in 2026 provided an opportunity not only to celebrate that history, but to broaden the Festival’s reach, champion more sustainable approaches to floral design and create opportunities for students and emerging talent to work alongside experienced designers and arrangers.
The Festival of Flowers makes a significant contribution to the Cathedral’s future, with the 2026 event alone raising more than £175,000 towards its restoration and maintenance, helping to safeguard this historic building for generations to come.
An opportunity to shape the 2028 Festival
The 2028 Festival Designer will take a leading creative role in the event, working alongside an experienced team of staff, volunteers and floral designers to develop the Festival’s overarching creative vision.
For the Cathedral, the appointment also marks the beginning of the journey towards 2028 and the opportunity to build on three decades of floral creativity while continuing to evolve the Festival for new audiences and a new generation of designers.
Those interested in becoming the next Chichester Cathedral Festival Designer are invited to register their interest before 12 October 2026.
Find out more about the opportunity here – https://www.chichestercathedral.org.uk/festival-flowers-2028-festival-designer-expression-interest.
The Chichester Cathedral Festival of Flowers will take place from 7 – 10 June 2028 with a Preview Evening on 6 June.