MSF is affiliated to the British and International Federation of Festivals (BIFF) and as such is dedicated to the promotion of the performing arts.
We make no apologies for being a competitive festival because part of our ethos is to provide a safe place for young people and adults to learn from their contemporaries as well as receiving advice and guidance from the professional adjudicators we employ.

The Performing Arts should, and can, make a difference – inspire, influence and motivate, engaging students both physically and mentally. They encourage independent, creative thinking and instil key transferable skills. Taking risks, collaboration, working through challenges are essential to build resilient young people of the future and we passionately believe in supporting them.

The Festival is open to anyone at any level and we provide classes and workshops for a comprehensive range of instruments, vocal, acting and writing skills from large group sessions for orchestras, choirs, musical theatre and group acting or dance to solo performances from 5 years to adult

We have two seasons. Our main Festival is held in the Spring. For three weeks in March the streets of Bath are filled with both Adults and young people moving from one festival venue to another to perform in either music, drama or creative writing classes. In the Autumn September and October bring the Dance festival and the prestigious events of Bath Young Musician of the Year and Bath Young Actor of the Year.

All of this takes a dedicated group of volunteers, not only to help the whole event run smoothly, but to maintain the level of experience and standards that the participants have been promised. There are many roles that are crucial to the successful delivery of this from controlling and organising the movement of performers to the exploration of new and inventive ways of developing the festival.

If you feel you can help us make that difference, whether it be donating your time or supporting us in other ways, you will be contributing to continuing a legacy that has meant so much to all our performers over the last 120 years and we would love to hear from you.

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