Craig Dennis

Chairman

Jim Walsh

Vice Chairman

Jim is a retired Company Executive having spent his entire career with the world’s largest global drinks business. His particular interests were people and organisation development, coaching, and strategy development. Jim would say that it was much more than a job. He joined the Festival in 2015 and as well as being Vice Chair, leads the Business and Strategy group. 
A keen amateur musician, Jim loves (almost) all genres of music but has a particular interest in new and emerging musical talent and in ensuring that Perth Festival provides a platform for that talent.  He has a special interest in the Scotland Trending project which seeks to showcase some of the best emerging musical artists in Scotland.

Helen Band

Festival Director

Helen joined the Festival team in 2016 and is thrilled to be involved in the city's arts festival. Helen manages the day-to-day operations including artist liaison, funding, marketing and administration. Helen brings twenty years’ experience in events and business development in Scottish charity sector, working previously as CEO of the local charity PKAVS. Helen has a Bachelor of Music Honours in Composition and alongside the Festival, works as a composer, conducts, and mentors young composers with the RSNO's 'Notes from Scotland' progamme. 

Hugh Goring

Executive Committee

Hugh joined the festival committee so long ago he can’t remember when it was. Nevertheless, he does remember that it was to organise the very first arTay exhibition in a marquee. Having been involved with Scottish Visual Art for over 40 years, owning and running Frames Gallery in Perth, he is well placed to contribute to that aspect of the Festival’s programme. In fact, he regards arTay as one of his crowning achievements in his long career. But he loves music as well, plays the piano a bit, composes a bit and spends far too long folding paper. Movies have been a long-standing love and he helps to run a local monthly cinema in his hometown of Newburgh.

Councillor Ken Harvey

Executive Committee

Ken Harvey joined the board as a PKC councillor representative in June 2022 and works as a consulting engineer in his other life. Ken is originally from Glasgow, although travelled the world in his 30s and 40s. Although Ken has never held a formal position within the arts world, he enjoys varied aspects of the performance arts, particularly live independent rock and quirky theatrical performances.

Colleen Nicoll

Executive Committee

Soprano Colleen Nicoll completed a Masters in Vocal Performance at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance with distinction and combines a career as a professional soprano, animateur and choral conductor. Colleen trained in outreach and education with The Royal Opera House and English National Opera and works as a creative practitioner and performer with Scottish Opera. She is Musical Director of Pitlochry Choral Society and also works alongside the Birnam Arts providing outreach and educational projects in the Perthshire community. Colleen joined the executive committee in early 2022 and is enjoying being part of such an exciting festival. 

Mo Rutherford

Executive Committee

Mo was born into a musical family in Keith, Moray, and graduated from Aberdeen University with a B.Mus (honours) in piano perfomance. Mo embarked upon a long career as a class music teacher before becoming a Principal Teacher of Music. She then joined the Instrumental Music Staff for Perth & Kinross, teaching piano in several schools throughout the region, as well as accompanying young players of other instruments, and having an involvement with Central Groups. For ten years, Mo was Music Director for the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society, and has regularly featured on BBC Radio Scotland, performing Scottish traditional music. Mo loves to encourage young people, and is well known as a teacher, performer and adjudicator.