Aberdeen International Youth Festival

 Aberdeen International Youth Festival (AIYF) is an annual cross-artform festival which showcases some of the most talented young performers from across the world.  There are over 100 performances across 50 venues in Aberdeen and the north-east.

The Aberdeen International Youth Festival (AIYF) began its life as an orchestral festival in the 1960s in Switzerland. In 1973 it made its permanent home in Aberdeen, where orchestras and chamber musicians from across Europe gathered to perform and collaborate in a festival environment. Forty two years later the festival has now grown, modernised and includes many more performing arts such as jazz, traditional music & dance, contemporary music & dance, ballet, theatre, opera, choirs and also world music. 

AIYF is also committed to supporting emerging talent from across Scotland and the rest of the UK as part of our truly international event, with participants travelling from all four corners of the globe to take part.

Over the years AIYF has hosted more than 27,500 young people from around the globe, making it one of the biggest and most successful gatherings of youth talent held anywhere in the world.

AIYF now produces over 80 performances in 9 days of top class entertainment across 50 venues in the North-east of Scotland.

It's not all about the big shows though, as AIYF offers some of the most intimate classical and chamber music performances through its series ‘Up Close and Musical'. and also delivers an ‘Extended Festival' programme of events, where our artists take their shows out to communities both in Aberdeen and further afield.

AIYF also offers inclusive, participatory summer courses such as the  ‘Dance Lab' and ‘Traditional Music School', where up and coming artists can learn from professional artists.

The Festival team works throughout the year to guarantee that only the very best in youth talent is showcased at the festival, and to ensure that everyone, performers, audiences and participants have a wonderful, positive and unique experience at what is one of Scotland's leading creative gatherings.