About the Festival
Perth Festival of the Arts is a vibrant celebration of the visual and performing arts, connecting leading artists from around the world with the rich cultural life of Perth each May. With a contemporary focus and a long-established tradition spanning 50 years, the Festival inspires, entertains and enhances the lives of its ever-growing community through an exciting and dynamic programme of events that promote and develop the city.
As well as bringing established and international performers to Perth’s impressive cultural and historic venues, we take pride in discovering and providing platforms for new and emerging artists in Scotland.
We feature international and national artists and orchestras from the worlds of classical music, opera, rock, jazz, Celtic, comedy, theatre, dance and the visual arts. Over the years, we’ve hosted big names including Bryn Terfel, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Nigel Kennedy, Van Morrison, Nicola Benedetti, The Proclaimers, KT Tunstall, Calvin Harris, Sharleen Spiteri, Edwyn Collins, Dara O Briain, Russell Howard, Julian Clary, Paul Merton, Treacherous Orchestra and many more.
2023 saw Jools Holland & his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra's thirteenth performance at the Festival. Most years we also stage a full-scale opera, with companies such as English Touring Opera, Scottish Opera, Opera Bohemia and the Scots Opera Project.
The Festival exists to:
- Inspire people of all ages and backgrounds to participate in the arts and enhance lives and wellbeing through the arts
- Offer performers of the highest quality
- Play a civic role in Perth city
- Encourage young people to the arts and nurture young talent
- Bring the arts to an increasingly diverse population
- To be the leading edge of the arts in Perth & Scotland
The Festival is a registered Scottish charity which raises financial support to bring the Festival programme to life and help keep ticket prices as low as possible. Our overall goal is to put on an exciting and diverse Festival each year and reach as many people as possible.
We also run a programme to nurture and develop young people's participation in the arts. This includes our school lunchtime concert series, workshops with local schools and children's concerts and events.
Future Festival Dates
Thu 22 May - Sat 31 May 2025
Thu 21 May - Sat 30 May 2026
Festival Team
As a charity and company in Scotland, our Festival is directed by an Executive Committee of volunteer Directors.
Executive Committee
Chairman – Craig Dennis
Vice Chairman - Jim Walsh
Treasurer - Jason Elles
ArTay – Hugh Goring
Executive Committee: Colleen Nicoll, Maureen Rutherford, Craig Scrimgour, Councillor Ken Harvey and Councillor David Illingworth.
Staff and Volunteers
Festival Director: Helen Band (née MacKinnon)
Finance Assistant: Hailey Revill
Sponsors Tickets: Penny Withers
Company Secretary – Helen Band
We work very closely with the excellent teams at Horsecross Arts, St John’s Kirk, Flintriver and Premier Scotland to support our Box Office, venues, design and marketing work.
Every few years, we commission an artist to work with us on the Festival’s visual brand and artwork. In 2023, we commissioned visual artist Claire McVinnie to design our new brochure artwork.
Contact Us
To contact the Festival Team:
Helen Band, Festival Director / Company Secretary
info@perthfestival.co.uk t: 07739836994
Penny Wither, Tickets for sponsors/press (from March 2024 only)
tickets@perthfestival.co.uk
Festival Friends
Helen Band, Festival Director
info@perthfestival.co.uk
Data Protection Officer
Helen Band
info@perthfestival.co.uk
Safeguarding Officer
Craig Scimgeour
info@perthfestival.co.uk
Festival Postal and Registered Office Address:
Perth Festival of the Arts, 32 King Street (Ground Floor), Perth, PH2 8JB.
Please note that our registered office is a home office address. For tickets and in-person enquiries, please go to Perth Theatre Box Office on Mill Street, Perth, PH1 5HZ.