The Arches Theatre Festival started in 2002, originally conceived as a showcase of Scottish work. The first programme was a mixture of pieces devised at the Arches in association with Arches Theatre Company and work that had originally run successfully elsewhere. Showcasing appeared to be a good way to package new writing. Audiences always seem prepared to take a risk on lesser-known companies if they are in a festival programme. The Arches encountered criticism as a lot of the work had been seen before. Subsequently it has tried to showcase pieces not previously played in Scotland.

Because the October festival The Arches LIVE! has grown in stature, it has been possible to relax the strictures of the festival, bringing in British and international work with relevance to Scottish audiences. In recent years the programme has encompassed new Scottish writing, the Scottish premieres of some particularly exciting British pieces and a number of bigger international names. It has also been possible to achieve a balance between drama and physical performance pieces, between text-centred and devised work.

See also The Arches Theatre Company and The Arches LIVE!