Blairgowrie and Rattray arts showcase returns

Date: Friday 8 August

image courtesy of CraicN Communications

August, 2025

The 2025 It’s BRAW (Blairgowrie and Rattray Arts for Wellbeing) showcase month got off to a great start at the weekend with music sessions, talks and workshops and drama performances all taking place in the town.

Artists and creatives in the east Perthshire town are hosting a series of events including workshops, performances and music sessions as part of the It’s BRAW! festival, which aims to highlight the wealth of creative talent in the area and support the wellbeing of people in the local community and beyond by providing opportunities to participate in arts, crafts, music and drama activities.

Now in its eighth year, the volunteer-run initiative culminates in a packed month-long programme of activities, encouraging people to try out new skills and hobbies while at the same time giving professional artists the opportunity to showcase their skills.

As part of the showcase month this year, a number of businesses in the town centre are taking part in a ‘BRAW windows of Blair’ competition, bringing a splash of colour to Blairgowrie during the festival.

The popular Rattray Art Festival, which takes place over nine days from Saturday, August 17th to Sunday, August 24th from 10am to 4.30pm each day in Blairgowrie Town Hall, is also part of It’s BRAW! Rattray Art Festival celebrates the talent and skills of local creative artists and makers and features hundreds of original paintings and unique hand-crafted artworks and ceramics.

This year, the featured artist is Rhona Kirkpatrick, a mixed media landscape artist. Other artists who will be exhibiting include Tina Gliddon, Stewart Graham, Mark McCallum, Trevor Taylor, David Mackenzie, Michelle Hewitt, Liz Dulley, Liudmyla Kurta-Stehun, Rosaleen Whyte, Jeannie Webster, Jim Webster, Kathleen Coupar, Cathy Doe, Hayley Mills, Janet McCrorie, Janice Lang, Audrie Cabena, Sabrin Miller, Margaret Cumming, Lorraine Irvine, Dougie Mackie, Mairi Urquhart, Heather Wadsworth, Rosemary Paterson, Christopher Sharp, Dave Murry, Sandy McCurdy and Dawn Ingram.

Sponsored by the A Proctor Group, HW Irvine Butchers, Graham Hygiene Services and Norman Laing, the Rattray Art Festival raises money for worthwhile causes every year with 20 per cent of sales made during the event generously donated by the artists. This year, donations will be made to Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA) and the Blairgowrie Riding for the Disabled Association.

A number of crafts-based demonstrations and workshops, led by the team at Blairgowrie-based Nest Creative Spaces, will take place where participants will be able to find out more about – among other things – mandala making, macrame, quilting, machine embroidery and spinning.

On Friday, August 29th, there will be a concert by the Blair Bells at St Catharine’s Hall on George Street in Blairgowrie. The Blair Bells are celebrating 25 years of bell ringing in the town and there will also be an opportunity to try bell ringing after the concert. The Blair Ukes group is hosting two sessions at the Ericht Ale House on Wednesday, August 13th and August 27th, both at 7pm, there will be a music session with local musicians in the Ale House on Sunday, August 17th, at 3pm, and a ‘Good Vibrations’ concert at Wisecraft on Lower Mill Street on Tuesday, August 19th at 1pm.

And members of the award-winning local amateur dramatic group, the Blairgowrie Players, brought their new murder mystery, ‘A Brief’s Encounter’, to Blairgowrie Town Hall.

The team behind the month-long celebration of arts, crafts, drama and music, which this year is being supported by Blairgowrie and Rattray Development Trust, is delighted that the festival has got off to such a braw start.

Lesley McDonald is chair of the It’s BRAW festival committee. She said: “The 2025 It’s BRAW! Festival has got off to a great start with some fabulous music sessions, craft talks and workshops and another highly entertaining murder mystery from the Blairgowrie Players.

“And the BRAW windows certainly live up to their name! They look wonderful and bring a real splash of colour to the town this August – well done to all the businesses involved who have put a lot of effort into creating some very special displays for the competition.

“There’s still lots to come in the programme of activities for this year, and we hope that as many people as possible are able to get involved and experience the wealth of creative arts and activities that take place in Blairgowrie and Rattray - and maybe even try something new.”

For further details, follow ‘It’s BRAW Blairgowrie & Rattray Arts for Wellbeing’ on social media.

For further information or media enquiries, please contact Clare McMicking on 07514 343 042 or media@brdt.org.uk