Perth Festival of the Arts returns on 18th-27th of May 2023, with venues across Perth welcoming internationally renowned and Scottish talent from the world of music, arts and culture.
With both a contemporary focus and a long-established tradition spanning of over 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, the Festival takes pride in discovering and providing platforms for new and emerging artists in Scotland.
This year, the world’s first ukulele orchestra, George Hinchliffe’s Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain returns to Perth for a night of entertainment, joy, fun, strum and artistry.
Making their Perth Festival debut, Scots Opera Project take to the stage for two performances of Marjory Kennedy-Fraser’s and Granville Bantock’s The Seal-Woman. First performed in 1924, this two-act Celtic folk opera is based on the mythical selkie and inspired and created from songs of the Scottish Hebrides.
Well-known faces from the world of film and television also feature, with BAFTA-winning comedian, and Love Island presenter Iain Stirling headlining a mixed comedy night at Perth Concert Hall plus the opportunity to spend a unique evening with Hollywood actor Richard E Grant as he tells stories from his life, entwining tales from his extraordinary time in showbiz with uplifting reflections on love and loss.
Remaining true to the Festival’s long-standing classical core, this year’s programme welcomes classical musicians from across the world. Enhancing the Festival’s tradition of bringing internationally renowned vocal ensembles such as Tenebrae and The Sixteen to Perth, The Marian Consort opens the Festival-run with a performance entitled A Winged Woman. This bold and impassioned performance features a World Premiere by Electra Perivolaris. Alongside this, the GRAMMY award-winning Estonian National Symphony Orchestra are joined by pianist Barry Douglas to present a striking programme featuring one of the greatest piano concertos ever written Rachmaninov’s Second. Other classical highlights include A Baroque Extravaganza with Red Priest and classical chart-toppers The Ayoud Sisters who perform their new album Arabesque at Perth Concert Hall, supported by The Lark Piano Trio.
On the Festival’s final evening, the SNJO’s Tommy Smith joins the Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers for an evening of powerful music and breaking-taking performance through the worlds of Earth, Wind, Fire and Storms.
This year’s Festival hosts an exciting array of events for children and families to enjoy including a scrumdiddlyyumptious adaption of ‘Roald Dahl’s The Three Little Pigs’ by Children’s Classic Concerts. Opera singers Colleen and Katie present a magical musical experience for babies and toddlers and best-selling children’s author Abi Elphinstone spends a day at local schools. A number of free community concerts including Perthshire Brass and students from UHI’s Popular Music Degree will take place in the city centre over the weekends.
Supported by the Cross Trust, the annual Artists of The Year concert returns to St. Matthew’s Church featuring some of the Scotland’s finest classical and traditional musicians, including violinist Briona Mannion, cellist Finn Mannion, pianist Anna Michels, and rising-star accordionist Ryan Corbett.
Back by popular demand, one of the largest exhibitions of contemporary Scottish art, ArTay, returns with an exciting curated exhibition of established Scottish artists and fresh new talent, woven together in this unmissable pop-up gallery in the outdoor plaza of Perth Concert Hall.
The spirit of the festival continues on 3 June with the return of Scotland Trending. Supported by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland, the showcase presents the rising stars in music from Scotland in an acclaimed music series running all day at Perth’s Ice Factory.
Perth Festival of Arts Chairman Craig Dennis, said:
We’re excited to be launching our 2023 Festival programme, which brings the best established and up and coming artists to our city. This year’s line-up features many unique events, from those specially curated for the Festival like our mixed-bill Comedy Night with Iain Stirling, to other big-name artists with whom we’ve secured the only Scottish date in their tour. Our programme aims to cater for different tastes and offer a vibrant celebration of the arts over 10 days.