photo_cameraJacob Bartholin
Festivals
Danish Festival Appoints New CEO
Danish folk and roots music event Tønder Festival has appointed Jacob Bartholin as its permanent Managing Director, following a period as interim director since September 2026. T
The festival has also named Mads Zethsen as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective 1 December.
The appointments follow a year of organisational changes and efforts to strengthen the festival`s financial management. According to the festival, preliminary financial results for 2026 indicate a positive outcome.
Bartholin joined Tønder Festival as Commercial Director in December 2025 and took over as interim Managing Director in September, following the departure of Kristina Lehmann Schjøtt.
He has extensive experience in the Danish live entertainment sector, including seven years in senior management at Muskelsvindfonden, where he was involved in the organisation of the touring concert series Grøn and the family entertainment production Cirkus Summarum.
He subsequently joined the executive management of DTD Group, the company behind Danish festivals NorthSide and Tinderbox. Bartholin also previously served on the board of Tønder Festival Fond from 2021 to 2025.
Henrik Juul, Chairman of Tønder Festival Fond, said Bartholin had already demonstrated his ability to implement organisational changes and strengthen the festival`s financial position.
Bartholin said his priority would be to preserve the festival`s musical identity and volunteer community while establishing a stronger financial and organisational foundation for its future.
New CFO to oversee financial operations
Mads Zethsen will take responsibility for finance, governance and administration across Tønder Festival Fond and Tønder Festival Forening. He will also oversee the daily administration of the festival office.
Zethsen joins from international law firm DLA Piper Denmark, where he has worked for nearly 18 years, most recently as Head of Finance since 2022.
The festival said the appointment reflects growing requirements for financial reporting, administration and governance, alongside its efforts to establish a financially sustainable long-term operating model.
About Tønder Festival
Established in 1974, Tønder Festival is one of Northern Europe`s longest-running international festivals dedicated to folk, roots, Americana and traditional music.
Held annually in the town of Tønder in southern Denmark, close to the German border, the festival attracts international artists and audiences, particularly from Europe and North America.
The event has eight stages, ranging from its main outdoor stage to smaller, intimate performance spaces. Its programming has included internationally recognised artists such as Emmylou Harris, Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie, Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers and The Avett Brothers.
The 2026 edition was sold out, attracting approximately 15,000 festivalgoers, with a programme featuring Emmylou Harris, Daniel Lanois and Jake Bugg.
Tønder Festival operates as a non-profit organisation through Tønder Festival Fond and Tønder Festival Forening. It relies on more than 3,000 volunteers and helpers, alongside a professional team responsible for administration and artist booking. Festival profits are distributed to charitable initiatives supporting culture, youth and sports in the local area.
The next edition of Tønder Festival is scheduled for 25–28 August 2027.