Perthshire Creative Trail
Please note this activity is different from the Open Studios Festival that POS will be running in the second week of September each year.
This all-year-round Trail will help to promote the ‘wonders’ of Perthshire and its artistic community to tourists and residents alike. The Trail comprising of approximately 50 locations can be dipped into and out of at will and will focus on galleries and artist studios that are open all year or for large portions of the year. The illustrative focus of the Trail’s materials will be on Perthshire and by including mention of inspiring environments and heritage sites we hope to encourage a sense of place within our community, the Perthshire public, and visitors alike.
There are many such trails in Scotland, so POS will be building on an existing format and applying lessons learnt from 14 years of running the annual Open Studios event. Consultations with members show this is a popular idea. Given the specifics of Perthshire, such as distance, variable internet and mobile signal coverage, we will be focussing on both printed and online promotion, as well the media both inside and outside Perthshire.
Promoting the Trail
A booklet will detail the Trail and its participants, alongside a website. The first print run of the booklet is for 50,000 copies which will be distributed through visitor locations as well as to residents through locations such as libraries and information centres. There may also be a leaflet, adverts, social media and widespread campaigns. Over time, the Trail will develop a reputation for accessibility and quality. Promotion can take place all year round, enabling long lead-in media as well as social and local media to be targeted. Each location will be listed in the publication and will have a ‘page’ on the website, the content of which will be provided by the participant, and they will be able to update at will and link to their own sites, social media activities and news.
Trail participants will receive marketing tools and support from POS, focused on “getting people through the door”. While sales are hoped for, they ultimately relate to customer choice, levels of marketing, price points, etc. There will also be recommendations of places to eat nearby each location. In following years, literature will be updated and there is a possibility of brown tourism site road signs.
The Trail is supported by Perth and Kinross Council and the launch will be in April 2023, including an evening event and an exhibition with sales at The Bield. As there is currently only room on the Trail for 50 locations, those open all year will be prioritised (if necessary). We are looking for a sponsor to support the entire Trail.
Cost of participation
The cost to participating locations is a £50 POS membership fee plus a £200 registration fee for the Trail. This will also include participation in the September Open Studios Festival. Members of the Perthshire Artisans organisation will be charged 20% less on their registration fee and the residents of the Perth Creative Exchange will be charged as one location.