The Festival was founded in 1994 by Pro Musica, a community organisation dedicated to supporting emerging musicians. Initially a chamber music festival, recitals were held in homes and embassies, and then, as audiences grew, in progressively larger concert venues. This culminated in the move to its principal venue in the Fitters’ Workshop, a reclaimed industrial building with exceptional acoustics, and a treasured piece of Canberra’s heritage. This period saw the development of a concert series that connected music to Canberra’s unique cultural collections and architectural sites, which has grown to become a staple of the Festival’s program.

CIMF’s artistic scope has gradually broadened from its early focus on chamber music. Today it accommodates the breadth of the Western classical tradition – early and medieval music, baroque, classical, romantic, 20th Century and new music – alongside classical traditions from around the world, diverse Indigenous music, and the spectrum of contemporary art music, including jazz.

CIMF’s identity has been shaped and distinguished by the strength of its curatorial vision. Under Artistic Directors Nicole Canham (2004-08), Chris Latham (2009-14) and Roland Peelman (2015-present) the Festival has become a unified experience: a 10-day program as a coherent and intellectually stimulating journey in music.

Know about the events at CIMF here 👇🏻 https://cimf.org.au/