When Bill Harris was at school, he had two competing passions: academia and the arts.

But when it came time to choose a career, the "solid job" his parents pushed for won out. "I'd come from a relatively conservative background; there was a sense that being secure in your work [should be] a priority," he says. "So I went into a commerce degree at the University of Melbourne."

Degree in hand, Harris started his career in banking.

"I started in a graduate program [in a bank in Victoria]," he says.

"I rotated through different areas and then moved into corporate banking, which involved working on business loans of $3 million and up."

The job had other benefits, too. "A lot of business was done over lunch," Harris says.

But the long lunches ended with his move to branch management. Here, Harris settled into the retail side of banking, setting up new branches and acting as an assistant manager in established branches.

Harris knew early on what he liked about the industry.

"I always enjoyed being behind the scenes, nutting out the process and fitting the right product to the client," he says. "I also enjoyed sitting down with people to get a result that worked for them and for the bank."

Although he could see a solid career path, Harris realised his heart still lay with the arts. Starting at the top, he applied to the National Institute of Dramatic Art. There, an old hand told him that in order to prove he was serious, he needed to demonstrate his passion for the industry.

"So I spent a year working at the bank by day but hanging around the back of theatres working at night," he says.

He was eventually accepted into NIDA's production course and began working his way up. "I started as a production manager for a performing company and then [as a production manager] for what is now Belvoir Theatre," he says.

He's now in the coveted role of head of programming for the Sydney Festival.

"In the planning stages of the festival, my job is to work with the festival's artistic director in the curation and selection of the entire festival," he says.

In a multifaceted position that also requires him to look at every artistic contract for performers in the Sydney Festival, Harris's banking background has paid off.

"I manage the programming budget, which can be anywhere from $8 million to $10 million, sometimes more," he says.

His business skills also come in handy before the festival. It's Harris's job to negotiate with artists about budgets, which often involves late-night phone calls to companies in the northern hemisphere.

"[Let's say] a major dance company wants to bring 40 dancers from Belgium," he says.

"I might need to negotiate with them to do the show with 20 people, or go to the Belgian government to get some money.

"It's the practical side of making [the festival] happen."

With the Sydney Festival in full swing, Harris confesses he is beyond busy. "In January, we work every day!" he says.

Then:
Salary: ‘‘Now, an assistant manager at a bank probably earns $60,000 to $80,000.’’
Work-life balance: ‘‘It was much better then. There was a number of times working beyond 40 hours [a week] but it was the exception rather than the rule.’’
Hours: 40 hours a week.

Now:
Salary: $80,000 to $100,000. ‘‘I’mprobably in the upper regions of salary in the arts.  There are some significant arts companies with managers on a salary of $60,000.’’
Work-life balance: ‘‘The big difference now is that I don’t turn off. I try to make sure I leave but then I’ll do another one to two hours’ work at home.’’
Hours: 60-70 hours a week.
Miss: ‘‘Banks have terrific staff benefits! The security and the people in banking were great.’’
Challenges: ‘‘We’re slowly starting to realise culture and the arts can provide happiness in life that’s beyond economics.’’