Death-defying acrobatics, big ideas, intimate performances for two, moments of artistic grace and splendour – the 2010 Perth International Arts Festival program delivers something for arts lovers of every age, welcoming back old friends and inviting new audiences to join us for Western Australia’s premier cultural event and biggest party.

On Wednesday, 4 November, Perth Festival Artistic Director Shelagh Magadza announces the 2010 program, featuring international stars like France’s Compagnie Montalvo-Hervieu, Russia’s Maly Drama Theatre and the UK’s Antony and the Johnsons who are among 1000 artists from Australia and abroad making Perth the cultural capital of Australia for nearly four weeks.

From the Lotterywest Festival Celebration, in which Spain’s La Fura Dels Baus work with 60 West Australians to create a jaw-dropping show 70  metres in the air, to a packed program of free and family events including free Haircuts by Children and a Children’s Jury, we hope as many people from WA and beyond will discover the treasures the 2010 program has to offer. The new program is the third of four under Shelagh Magadza’s stewardship. Her term has so far seen unprecedented growth in audience numbers with more than 330,000 West Australians attending Festival events last year. This confirms the success of the Perth Festival, which engages the largest audience per capita of any festival in Australia.

Shelagh Magadza said: “This year we invite the WA public to connect with us as never before as we bring some of the most exciting artists of our era to Perth, many for the first time.” “This is a chance to see some of the best work from around the world, along with uniquely Australian stories. “Only at Festival time can audiences experience so many enriching events.”

The $13.8 million 2010 Festival renews the commitment to a celebration of international contemporary art practice as the core of the Festival program; to provide a platform for Western Australia’s own artists; to represent Australia’s Indigenous cultures and to explore the city landscape by turning our urban environment into a playground of possibilities. The Perth Festival is Australia’s longest-running multi-arts festival and offers the largest program in terms of scope, covering all genres from the performing arts to including theatre, dance, music, visual arts, literature and film. Ms Magadza acknowledges the Perth Festival team who work closely with her to not only program the entire Festival but also to produce it and communicate it to the wider community.

See perthfestival.com.au for full program details, pick up a copy of the 2010 brochure from any BOCS outlet or your local library, or call the Festival Info Centre on (08) 6488 5555. The Perth International Arts Festival runs from February 5 to March 1, 2010.