Horsecross Arts staff are celebrating after the Southern Fried Festival picked up the Best Small Festival award at the Scottish Event Awards.

Andy Shearer, festival director of Southern Fried which is now going into its eighth year said:

“Since its launch in 2008 the Southern Fried Festival has grown in terms of the range of music we offer, artists we attract, and audiences we entertain. Winning this award is a fantastic endorsement for the festival, for all at Horsecross Arts, and our incredibly loyal Southern Fried following who come from near and far; as well as all the established and emerging acts who perform on our stages.

“The festival is constantly evolving and this year, with the support of Perth & Kinross Council we added an outdoor stage to the line-up of venues. The Salutation Hotel stepped in to host our Late and Southern Fried shows and afternoon gigs. Both proved popular with performers and audiences alike.

“With two thirds of the Southern Fried Festival audience coming from outside Perth and Kinross, the festival has a real positive economic impact on the city and we look forward to seeing it continue to go from strength to strength in the years to come.”

Perth’s annual Festival of American Roots Music Southern Fried is organised by Horsecross Arts, the creative organisation behind Perth Concert Hall and Perth Theatre. Now going into its eighth year, the festival offers three days of the very best in Americana, covering all the roots music bases from blues to bluegrass, soul to country, rock and gospel.

Plans are already in hand for next year’s Southern Fried Festival which will take place from 31 July until 2 August 2015.