The 2026 Oxford Festival of the Arts has now drawn to a close; a big thank you to everyone who came to enjoy our events this summer.

We are sad to let you know that this summer’s Festival will be the last. From a local arts programme to one of Oxford’s flagship festivals, the OFA has grown considerably in scale and scope since its launch in 2009. It now operates at a scale beyond the resources – financial and logistical – of our lead sponsor, Magdalen College School.

With the school, we have explored a number of options, including to find a new home within a larger arts organisation in the city, as well as to establish the Festival as a charity or to run biennially – but regrettably, for various reasons, none has been fruitful.

Magdalen College School remains committed to supporting the arts in Oxford and will continue to stage and open to the public its much-loved summer productions at the Oxford Playhouse and on School Field, as well as Madrigals. In addition, the school will continue to invest in partnership arts events, including the Oxford Book Awards and – for summer 2027 – an Oxfordshire-wide primary school singing event delivered in partnership with the Lord Lieutenant.

Thank you for supporting the OFA over the years!