About the Festival
For 10-12 days every May, the city of Perth becomes the gem in Scotland’s cultural calendar. One of the oldest, continuously-running independent arts festivals in Scotland, Perth Festival of the Arts is now in its 50th year. It started as an opera and classical music festival in the early 70s and now covers all art forms. We are all about top quality, bringing new arts experiences to Perth, and celebrating the arts with people of all ages.
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.
2022 sees Jools Holland & his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra’s twelfth performance at the Festival. Most years we also stage a full-scale opera, with wonderful productions by English Touring Opera who have come to the Festival each year since 2001. In 2022, Opera Bohemia bring an intimate chamber production of Puccini's masterpiece Madama Butterfly.
The Festival exists to:
- Inspire people of all ages and backgrounds to participate in the arts
- Offer performers of the highest quality
- Play a civic role in Perth city
- Encourage young people to the arts
- 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 amazing Festival each year and reach as many people as possible.
Future Festival Dates
19th - 28th May 2022 (50th Anniversary)
18th - 27th May 2023
Festival Team
As a charity and company in Scotland, our Festival is directed by an Executive Committee of volunteer Trustees and Directors.
Chairman – David Brand
Vice Chairman – Craig Dennis
Secretary – Paul Trodden
Treasurer - Jason Elles
Honorary President - Peter Rutterford
ArTay – Hugh Goring
Executive Committee: Colleen Nicoll, Maureen Rutherford, Craig Scrimgour, Jim Walsh and Councillor David Illingworth
Festival Administrator: Helen MacKinnon
Finance Assistant: Hailey Revill
Sponsors Tickets: Penny Withers
Safeguarding Officer: Paul Trodden
We work very closely with the excellent teams at Horsecross Arts, St John’s Kirk, Flintriver and The Corner Shop PR 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 2018, we commissioned illustrator Jill Calder to design our new brochure and other artwork for the coming years.
Contact Us
To contact the Festival Team:
Helen MacKinnon, Festival Administrator
info@perthfestival.co.uk t: 07739836994
Penny Wither, Tickets for sponsors/press
tickets@perthfestival.co.uk
Festival Friends
Craig Dennis, Friends Administrator
membership@perthfestival.co.uk
Data Protection Officer
Paul Trodden
info@perthfestival.co.uk
Safeguarding Officer
Paul Trodden
info@perthfestival.co.uk
Festival Postal and Registered Office Address:
Perth Festival of the Arts, 22 Hamilton Place, Perth, PH1 1BD, Scotland.