Keep the Doors Open and #SaveBirnamArts

We Need Your Help...

COVID-19 has, at a stroke, removed all income from sell out shows, conferences, parties, weddings and other private functions for the foreseeable future. These large scale events help to subsidise our arts programme and allow us to hire out our venue to community groups at a greatly discounted rate.

We have reopened our Cafe and Gift Shop on a limited basis but without the lost income from these larger events, we will struggle to make it through the winter months and there is a real risk that Birnam Arts may have to close its doors, for good.

How COVID-19 has affected us..

In late March we closed the doors to Birnam Arts.  Since then, our entire Arts Programme of theatre, music, dance, comedy, exhibitions and workshops have been cancelled or postponed, our exhibition spaces were shut, and the Foyer Café and Potter’s Junction shop closed. In addition to this, all community groups, conferences and room hires were cancelled and our staff were furloughed. All our vital income streams dried up overnight.

On July 10th, we were finally able to reopen our doors to the community on a limited basis.  Since reopening, our Café has been able to respond to the changing landscape and so far, has made enough to keep itself afloat.  We hope this continues.

As we emerge from lockdown, it’s clear that Birnam Arts will not be able to host our usual Arts Programme, conferences and private functions until at least April 2021. This income makes it possible to programme the range of interesting and exciting year-round events which Birnam Arts is known and loved for.

We’re slowly getting back on our feet but, without your support, it is a very real possibility that Birnam Arts will have to close its doors permanently this winter. 

We will no longer be able to present the year-round programme of live performances or be the thriving community hub of Birnam and Dunkeld that you all know and love.

Already, we have applied to a variety of funders for support but we are still predicting shortfall of around £30K to make it until April 2021.

(It costs around £10K a month to run Birnam Arts even if we’re closed, and that figure will increase over the winter months).

How Can You Help?

Support Our Crowdfunder Campaign!

All funds raised will go directly towards keeping the venue alive until we can kickstart our larger gatherings again in 2021.  Our hope is that once we reopen our doors fully, we can get back to the business of showcasing a brilliant programme of music, performance, art, events, room hires and the much-loved community groups in early 2021 and beyond!  We have some fantastic rewards to offer in return for your donations, with new ones being released throughout the campaign.

Rewards for your donations...

£5 |  Hi-5 | A socially distanced hi-5 and special thank you from everyone at Birnam Arts

£10 | Coffee & Cake for 1 | Donate £10 or more and treat yourself to a hot drink of your choice alongside an indulgent treat from our range of home baked cakes...

£20 Voucher | Potter's Junction at Birnam Arts | Now, we know the festive season is a few months away (thank goodness!) but there are friends and family that live far away which means shopping a little earlier in the year to make sure pressies ship out to our loved ones on time. Donate and spend your voucher in the Potter's Junction shop, right here in Birnam Arts! Just in case you've forgotten, we have one of the greatest selection of Beatrix Potter goodies in the country!

£30 |  | En Frnacais S'il Vous Plait! | Conversation en Français pour le soutien de Birnam Arts! Join Agathe for a Socially distant 2-hour French conversation. (Suitable for a small group of 4. For more info or to book after purchasing, please contact [email protected] directly. Au revoir!)

£40 | Ballet for Wellbeing | Donate £40 and join ballet tutor Emma Gray for a term of 'Ballet for Wellbeing' via zoom from the end of October to the Xmas Break (approx 8 sessions held on Monday mornings).

£100 | Birnam Book Festival Weekend Pass | The Birnam Book Festival showcases literature from Scotland and beyond in our beautiful corner of Perthshire. We have previously presented Jenny Colgan, Dean Burnett, Kate Leiper, Darren McGarvey, Stuart Cosgrove, and music legends Peggy Seeger and Karine Polwart. This weekend pass will grant you access to all events at the next Birnam Book Festival. Currently running online activities, we hope it is possible to hold another festival at Birnam Arts in 2021.  Watch their Facebook and website for announcements.

T&Cs: this weekend pass can be transferred to another recipient as a gift. The weekend pass is non-refundable, should it be impossible to hold a festival due to unforeseen conditions.  Collect the weekend pass from The Birnam Reader.

£150 | Fishing in Dalguise | Save £70 on this wonderful adventure bundle worth £220! Accompanied by a guide from Dalguise Fishing, you and your child will enjoy a fishing experience on the Dalguise Beat!  This particular spot is one that inspired favourite author and illustrator, Beatrix Potter to write the tale of Mr Jeremy Fisher.  To keep you company there will be a wee Mr Jeremy Fisher toy, a classic printed hardback edition of his story and a colour print Jeremy Fisher postcard to write your own story for someone.

£200 | Dancing in the Dance Studio | Run a workshop, develop your practice, or, gift time and space to an artist you know with two 8 hour sessions and use of the Art Studio.  (Psst... If you don't fancy dancing, this room is also great for other classes and workshops too! From writer's workshops to language lessons, this is a great spot in the original part of the building.)  (Worth £260 and only 1 available!)

£200 | Luxury Stay at The Taybank | Donate and enjoy a beautiful night's stay in the newly renovated rooms of The Taybank, Dunkeld, as well as enjoying a delicious dinner for two. For more details or to book as soon as you have purchased, please contact The Taybank on 01350 677123.

£500 | Luxury Escape to Killiecrankie, Perthshire | Enjoy an entire week of idyllic, countryside views at Lettoch Cottages between November and March.  (Please contact Lettoch Cottages directly for more info or to arrange booking upon pledging your donation.)

We are particularly grateful to Lettoch as it was owner Steve Rawson who made the brilliant film and vox pop videos for this #SaveBirnamArts Crowdfunding campaign! So, as if that wasn't enough, he has generously donated this offer to help us reach the funding target! Please do share this reward far and wide with those you think might be interested. It is a truly beautiful escape and we're sure you'll absolutely love it there!

£650 | A Special Celebration! | Donate and save £50 as you celebrate a special occasion at Birnam Arts with hire of the venue and a celebration cake from local, celebrity baker Flora Shedden's Aran Bakery! (Celebration for 100 people or more only, excludes weddings. Date by arrangement with Birnam Arts and Aran Bakery.)

£750 | Luxury Salmon Fishing Retreat | Donate and be the proud patron of a fishing retreat on the River Tay.  You will be the welcomed guests for two nights at the newly renovated 'Tay House Sporting Lodge' in Dunkeld, AND, accompanied by the ghillie, you will fish on a boat on the Burnmouth beat.  Generously donated by The Tayhouse.

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New rewards will be updated throughout the campaign so be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram to be the first to hear about them.  There are some cracking, highly exclusive and beautifully desirable rewards from local businesses that we can't wait to share!

Limited edition rewards that have already SOLD OUT super, super fast:

£25 | First Come, First Served | Birnam Reader Voucher | GONE! Donate and enjoy £25 worth of the best books and most delicious coffee at the Birnam Reader! There were only TWO of these available and they went in record speed.

£60 | First Come, First Served | Warming Up With Whisky | SOLD! Donate and you will enjoy whisky tasting for 2 at the Dunkeld Whisky Box!  After purchase, you can arrange with  at a local venue of your choice - be it online or in person! (Of course, covid restrictions will have to be adhered to!) This experience will be valid for one year since pledging and includes 5 x 25ml drams - absolutely delicious drams! There was only one available, now gone!

£50 | The Lon Store Box | GONE! Donate and treat yourself to the most instagrammable LON Store box from this new Dunkeld store! Flora Shedden will handpick a gorgeous selection of produce for you and a special someone to enjoy - or, you could snarfle all on your own (we won't tell!) (Collection only on Wednesdays to Saturdays. Please contact LON Store to arrange collection.) SOLD!

£20 | Local Makers Voucher at Kat'n'Kat! |  SOLD You can support the Save Birnam Arts campaign and two wonderful local makers at the same time!  With the gift season coming up, donate and treat yourself or a loved one with this £20 voucher to spend in the brand new Kat'n'Kat shop in Dunkeld. These talented women only opened on Thursday and we're sure they'd love to see you pop by! You can check out their work here. There was only ONE of these available!

£450 | First Come First Served | GONE! One year's coffee at Aran Bakery; 2 x Future Tickets at Birnam Arts; and, £75 worth of Tippermuir Books. There was only 1 available, now pledged!

£30 | Corbenic Shop | SOLD! Donate and spend your £30 voucher in the gorgeous Corbenic Shop in Dunkeld featuring one of a kind items, natural products and a selection of locally made treats - look at those wee faces!

£200 | Arting in the Art Studio | GONE! Run a workshop, develop your practice, or, gift time and space to an artist you know with two 8 hour sessions and use of the Art Studio. (Worth £260!) SOLD

£100 Kiln Creative Voucher | GONE! Donate to both support Birnam Arts and spend £100 with Kiln Creative on pottery or workshops right here in Birnam and Dunkeld! SOLD!

£100 | Luxury Dunkeld Smoked Salmon Hamper | SOLD! Donate and enjoy a truly delicious, luxurious, salmon filled hamper from the one and only Dunkeld Smoked Salmon! (To collect, please contact Dunkeld Smoked Salmon directly.)

£150 | Fine Wine Time at The Scottish Deli | SOLD! Donate and spend an hour at The Scottish Deli and, with expert advice from the owners, create your own wine selection to the value of £150 from a stock of over 80 stunning wines! (Valid for 6 months from purchase.  Selection time to be arranged in advance with The Scottish Deli Team.  Your wine selection will need to be collected from The Scottish Deli in Dunkeld.)

£50 | Autumn Reading | SOLD! The reading season is upon us! Donate and enjoy £75 bundle of books from Tippermuir Books! There are only 2 of these up for grabs - best be quick. (Books shipped directly to your door by Tippermuir Books.)

£20 | Launch Lunch | GONE! Donate by 10pm on Thursday and get your lunch for free on Friday 18th! Choose from the menu of delicious drinks, mains and desserts. There were 4 available, now pledged and already devoured!

£25 | Kettles at Kettles | With the smell of autumn in the air, all of our recipe books featuring pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg are getting pulled down from the shelves. But, have you got the crockery and utensils to cook and show your dishes off in? Kettles of Dunkeld do! Support both Birnam Arts and this local business by spending your voucher at Kettles.

£50 | Beatrix Potter Bundle | SOLD OUT! Receive a family day pass to the Beatrix Potter Exhibition, alongside an exclusive selection of Beatrix Potter items featuring your favourite characters! (Collection only.)  These wee bunnies are now all off to their forever homes - but check back for future reward updates as they might just make a wee return.

£95 | The Stories We Tell: Where Are We Now | GONE! Donate £95 to join Jamie & Sarah Jauncey in this personal insight workshop through "The Stories We Tell"

A one-day workshop looking at how we're adjusting to the new normal. Is living in a pandemic world making you re-think your values and beliefs, how you feel about work, relationships, leisure activities? How can you best meet the challenges and opportunities that this extraordinary time presents? (To book, please contact The Stories We Tell directly.)  SOLD!

£50 | A Night at Birnam Arts | ALL GONE! Upon reopening, receive two tickets with drinks on arrival.  And, YES - there will be prosecco on the bar! (T's&C's: tickets cannot be redeemed for events run by external parties such as the Neil Gow Festival and the Birnam Book Festival.) There were 7 of these available but they have all now been sold!

£500 | Hire the Venue | SOLD! Exclusive use of the venue for one evening, including the main hall, for a private function of 100 people or more, on reopening (weddings excluded). There was only 1 of these available and it has now been sold.

£400 | Luxury Stay at the Atholl Arms | SOLD Donate £400 or more and you and a loved one will enjoy a romantic getaway for two nights in the Master Suite, a chilled bottle of Prosecco on arrival and two nights of delicious dinners at the Atholl Arms Hotel, Dunkeld. To check availability, or as soon as you've donated, you can reserve by calling 01350 727219 or 07485 109109. (Valid until 31st March 2021. Subject to availability, excludes Festive period.) GONE!

£120 | Eat. Sleep. Relax. | SOLD Donate £120 or more and you and a friend would enjoy two nights at this favourite luxury hostel Jessie Macs with brunches at Birnam Arts! Psst... you'd also be saving £40 with this bundle! There was only ONE of these rewards available.

£50 | The Scottish Deli Hamper | SOLD With the change of seasons, and a certain festive gift season around the corner, and updated restrictions, you would probably enjoy a truly delicious hamper from The Scottish Deli filled with lovely, locally sourced, foodie treats & bottle of prosecco... Yes, we thought so! Enjoy this hamper from The Scottish Deli and support Birnam Arts in one go! (To be collected from The Scottish Deli in Dunkeld only. One week's notice required to prepare hamper.) There were only 2 of these available!

£20 | Coffee & Cake for 2 | Donate £20 or more and treat yourself and a pal to a gorgeous, hot cup of tea or coffee and slice of cake, or a scone or even a mouthwatering Stewart Tower Ice Cream...

£ Freeee! Its a PRIZE DRAW! | Sail Under the Forth Bridges | Head over to our Facebook and Instagram to be in with a chance of winning a 3 hour sail with McIntosh Tours with a group of friends or family (or both - Covid-depending!) Simply 'like' the post, 'share' on your page and 'tag' a friend - each additional tag will count as another entry.  The lucky Forth ducky will be announced by video on our social media next Thursday at 4pm!