Spoleto Festival's Nunally Kersh to bow out

Nunally Kersh, producing director of the Spoleto Festival USA, is stepping down from her post.

Nigel Redden, festival general manager, confirmed the resignation on Wednesday.

"Unfortunately, it's true," said Redden. "After 16 1/2 years with the festival, she is leaving and very much will be missed. Nunally has been a wonderful colleague and deserves a good deal of credit for the strength of the festival. I think she will have had a lasting impact."

Kersh, wife of Hominy Grill chef-owner Robert Stehling, said she was leaving to spend more time with her family.

"The festival is a very special organization and has been a huge part of my life for 18 years," Kersh said.

"It was a very difficult decision, but I have been feeling a need to recalibrate a little bit and spend more time with my daughter, Carson, who is 9. I love the organization very deeply and expect to maintain ties with it," she said.

As producing director, Kersh's responsibilities were many. Not the least was traveling the globe in search of talent -- identifying emerging artists and those working on the creative fringe -- while staying current on developing trends in the arts.

She and her staff also handled negotiations and contracting with artists, as well as budgeting, arranging for international artist visas and such logistical tasks as artist travel, housing and hospitality.

"I will be in the office for a few more weeks, wrapping things up," Kersh said. "In many ways the 2012 festival already is set, so a lot of my work is done. Now, we are figuring out ways of having others handle those things that are left to be done in the coming months."

Redden said that while Kersh's departure will be felt significantly, it will not impede the 2012 festival, and that it was much too soon to be contemplating a successor.

Kersh said she will treasure the experiences she has had working with "some extraordinary artists and the Spoleto board."