About Us

About the Festival

For ten 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 49^th 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.

2019 saw Jools Holland & his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra’s tenth performance at the Festival and a sell-out concert with chart-topper Lewis Capaldi. 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.

 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

20^th – 29^th May 2021 

19^th - 28^th May 2022 (50th Anniversary)