Blyth Festival History

The Blyth Centre for the Arts (including Blyth Festival) was founded in 1975 to produce theatre that reflects the culture and concerns for the people of southwestern Ontario and beyond.

In 1975, few scripts that fit the festival's mandate were being written so we jumped into the creation of new work. At that time, the festival was the only summer theatre producing original Canadian plays, and one of the very few, if not the only "500-seat" theatre in Canada producing Canadian plays exclusively.

Today, located in a village of 1000 in rural Huron County, the Blyth Centre for the Arts is a year-round centre of cultural activity for southwestern Ontario. In addition to the Blyth Festival, the Centre includes an Art Gallery that showcases three professional exhibits, one non-juried community show and co-ordinates a student exhibit each season. Choristers participate in the professionally-led Blyth Festival Singers and musicians from three counties form the Blyth Festival Orchestra.

In addition, the festival acts as a resource for local groups and makes its outstanding facilities available for community use. We play major roles in the business life of the village and the tourism industry in Huron County.