In conversation with Alex Cairncross
Take a trip down memory lane as our Festival Director Helen Band catches up over a coffee with the Festival’s new Honorary President for 2027, Alex Cairncross.
Banner image photographer credit: John Glen
Alex Cairncross is known to many of us locally through her and her family’s longstanding charity work, service to the community, prominent family business, and more recently, through Alex’s role as Vice Lord-Lieutenant. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Alex for nearly 20 years and have always been impressed by her ambassadorship for Perth & Kinross. We talked about Alex’s recent visits to The Enchanted Forest and Pitlochry Festival Theatre and her role in Perth’s High Constables. Amidst this, she also finds time to enjoy fascinating international travel to the far corners of the globe with her husband, David.
Alex lives a life of service and it’s that spirit of service that has run in the Cairncross family for decades. Alex’s dad, Alastair, was a founding member of Perth Festival of the Arts in 1972 and served on the Committee for many years.
In the early years, being a volunteer on the Festival Committee was sometimes a full-time job. Having no staff, the charity fully relied on this incredible team of individuals who were passionate about Perth and the arts. Each May, Perth City Hall became alive with the sound of music as the Festival became the cultural event of the year for Perth and attracted a loyal following and exciting artists.
Art Mart on Tay Street
Alex was just six years old when the Festival started. She recalls the excitement of being taken to concerts and associated social events.
‘I felt so grown up!’, she recalls, describing the Festival as ‘the sweetie shop of the entertainment world’, offering the chance to see, and meet, fantastic artists.
In those days, the Committee looked after the marketing, organising, artists and finances and each member had a particular role; a way of local businesses giving of their time and expertise. The hands-on nature of the Festival Board still exists today but now with the support of two staff members and volunteers, following the first Administrator’s appointment in 1997.
Alex’s dad oversaw the Festival’s Art Mart along the railings on Tay Street; a celebrated highlight in Perth’s artistic calendar. Alex recalls:
“I would arrive with my dad at 6am to mark out the pitches for each exhibitor. The artists would bring their cars, artwork, picnics and deckchairs and pitch up for a couple of weekends. Tay Street was full of people, and it was a good way for lesser-known artists from around the county to display and talk to people about their art. It brought a huge range of creatives and artwork was largely affordable. There was always a big firework display across the river to close the Festival’.
Meeting the Stars
Alex also recalls her mum, Mary, heading off to Edinburgh airport to collect artists before hosting them in their home.
'Mum and dad were great supporters of up-and-coming artists. We hosted several stars who enjoyed being out of the limelight and away from fans. Mum and dad helped them unwind and enjoy a dram after a show. I even used to play table tennis with artists when I came home from school. It was a unique and special experience.’
Over the years, Alex’s family hosted groups such as the King Singers and musicians Paul Tortelier and Julian Lloyd Webber. As a keen cellist, Alex loved going to the City Hall and sitting opposite the cello players so she could watch their fingers move. Her parents kept it a secret that Julian would be staying at the house. You can imagine Alex’s delight at his arrival. ‘It was a big deal and a ‘wow’ moment’. Alex fondly recalls the following morning waiting at the bus stop with school friends when a black limo drove past and Julian gave her a wave.
Stand-out Festival moments
Perth City Hall was a recurring feature in our discussion; Alex recalls the after-show social events in the bar for Festival Friends where a wonderful camaraderie formed. ‘All around the bar walls were larger than life-size photos of all the performers. Often, the performers would come up and meet the guests. It gave audience members the chance to see 'behind the curtain’.’
Alex has stayed close to the Festival over many decades, as a supporter, hosting artists with her husband in their home, and through her work with one of the Festival’s longstanding funders, Jimmie Cairncross Charitable Trust. I noted that Alex is likely in our top one or two Festival attendees, having attended hundreds of events over the years. I asked if she had a stand-out show or artist.
Instinctively Alex replied ‘Jools Holland. He has come to Perth Festival of the Arts so many times and is still so popular with audiences. Jools delivers an incredible show. He has an infinite capability to build a concert to a great crescendo and brings a brilliant energy. Each artist is celebrated for their individual contributions; he really envelopes the whole team in his musical magic’.
I asked Alex what it means to be the Festival’s Honorary President for 2027. True to her dedication to serving the community, she flips the question back on me. ‘I think it’s about what I can do for the Festival during this time. How can I be of help?’.
‘I’m hugely honoured by the appointment, 55 years after attending my first Festival concert. It’s fantastic that the Festival is still going, through the commitment of the Board members and its supporters. The founding members would be thrilled that the little Festival founded in 1972 has grown and flourished, attracting international stars at all stages of their careers. It is down to the dedication and infinite number of hours given by the team behind the scenes.’
We’re delighted to welcome Alex as our Honorary President for the coming year. Alex’s passion for the arts, for community, and for championing the region are what the Festival is all about. We’re immensely grateful for her support.
