Founded by MCS to celebrate and share the arts in the city, the inaugural Oxford Festival of the Arts was held in June 2009, in the idyllic setting of the Junior School gardens on the banks of the River Cherwell. Over time the festival has grown in scope, duration and artistic aims, and is now a well-established highlight in the Oxford cultural calendar, offering a broad programme of events embracing music, theatre, talks, comedy, film, literature, dance, art, photography and more.

OFA celebrates Oxford’s diverse communities, irrespective of age, background or artistic experience. It regularly involves local communities in performances and incubates new works and Oxford’s arts-based initiatives. Equally, it is a testament to the success of the Festival that it attracts nationally and internationally renowned artists and performers to the city.

Eclectic, wide-ranging and of consistently high quality, the Oxford Festival of the Arts is respected for having brought to the city big names from the worlds of music, theatre, comedy, literature and even politics.

Oxford Times

The Festival makes the most of Oxford’s many historic buildings and beautiful performance spaces to create unique experiences for audiences. It works extensively with cultural partners across the city and beyond including: Asylum Welcome, the Bodleian Libraries, Christ Church Cathedral, Dancin’ Oxford, Jesus College, Magdalen College, Modern Art Oxford, New College, New Theatre Oxford, the North Wall Arts Centre, Oxford Botanic Garden, The Story Museum, SJE Arts, the Ultimate Picture Palace, the University Church of St Mary the Virgin, and many more.

The festival turned digital during the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021 and the performances from this time can still be enjoyed on the OFA YouTube Channel and on the OFA website. In 2022, it made the most of being able to perform live again, celebrating at the Oxford Playhouse with the world premiere of Bob Chilcott’s spectacular musical Birdland, and Leave it to Puck, both MCS new commissions.

Since 2021, historian, author and broadcaster Dr Janina Ramirez has been the Festival’s Patron.

Like our rich, diverse, multicultural and fascinating city, the Arts are for everyone and I hope to keep growing the festival’s commitments to widen participation and embrace new challenges.

Dr Janina Ramirez, Honorary Patron, Oxford Festival of the Arts

The two weeks of the Festival are simply the pinnacle of OFA’s activities, partnership projects run throughout the year.

To keep up to date with all things OFA subscribe to the Festival Newsletter.

 

 

 

Oxford Festival of the Arts