Belfast International Arts Festival returns with a new season of contemporary arts and cultural events from 16 October – 23 November in over 30 venues across the city, featuring the very best in international and homegrown artists across theatre, dance, music, visual arts, literature and film.
Belfast International Arts Festival Events
Toner Quinn: How Ireland Thinks About Music
Toner Quinn is a fiddle player, writer on music, editor of the online publication Journal of Music, and…
Cultural Walking Tours: Blue Plaque Tours
A stroll around the centre of Belfast that focuses on the lives of important citizens of the city…
Gurriers
Described as “raw as a butcher’s cut, and just as fresh” by the Irish Times, Gurriers have been…
The Persian, Kurdish, Celtic Connection
A cultural weave story with the sounds of Persian, Kurdish and Irish instruments and vocals.
Cultural Walking Tours: The Linen Yarn – A Different Look at the Linen Industry
Explore a vibrant and distinct quarter of Belfast, to hear entertaining ‘yarns’ or stories of people and events…
The John Hewitt Society Birthday Readings
Three critically acclaimed poets read from recent work to mark the birth date of the celebrated Belfast-born poet,…
BBC Introducing LIVE
BBC Introducing LIVE returns to the Festival for a second year, showcasing unmissable performances from Northern Ireland’s rising…
Granny Jackson’s Dead
Granny Jackson’s Dead... but her story isn’t.
Michael Longley
Michael is welcomed to Belfast International Arts Festival for a special event to mark his 85th birthday in…
Neil Jordan: A Journey Through Cinema and Literature
An evening with Academy Award-winning filmmaker and novelist Neil Jordan as he discusses his vivid, moving, and strange…
Cultural Walking Tours: Anti-slavery Belfast Tour
This tour reveals the story of Belfast’s involvement in this shameful transatlantic trade and the inspiring role of…
Austin Duffy and Phil Harrison
Writing about the turning points of the Troubles and the legacy of masculinity.
They Might Be Giants
Following 70+ sold-out shows in the US, They Might Be Giants bring their hugely popular “Evening with” performance…
Cultural Walking Tours: A Penny For Your Thoughts and Sleeping Jesus’
A unique tour in which you will stroll through the streets of Belfast with your guide and discover…
Lisa Hannigan
Belfast International Arts Festival welcomes Lisa to Belfast’s Mandela Hall on 26 November for a fully seated show.
Les Amazones d’Afrique
Les Amazones d'Afrique are a collective of supremely talented female musicians from West Africa.
Aurora: A Modern Myth
Brought to you by the multi-award-winning Prime Cut Productions, this World Premiere of a new work by Dominic…
David Peace
BIAF are delighted to welcome David Peace to Belfast for the publication of Munichs, the third novel in…
Róise ní Bhaoill
Róise Ní Bhaoill joins us to discuss her award-winning collection of short stories Imram agus Scéalta Eile.
Blues & Ballads: An Evening with Paul Jones and Dave Kelly, and Freddie White
Belfast International Arts Festival presents blues legends Paul Jones and Dave Kelly, & the incomparable Irish singer-songwriter Freddie…
Tom McRae
The Mercury and Brit nominated artist Tom McRae returned this year with his 9th album Étrange Hiver, which…
Monique Roffey, Kevin Jared Hosein & Safiya Sinclair
Continuing their collaboration with BOCAS Litfest, Belfast International Arts Festival welcome three celebrated writers from Trinidad and Jamaica.
Väsen
Swedish folk royalty Väsen present an evening of new and traditional folk music within the immersive sound environment…
Cultural Walking Tours: Churches in Belfast
In their various forms, Churches have been part of the life of Belfast people for a long time.
Ingrid Persaud and Sunjeev Sahota
Ingrid Persaud’s latest book, The Lost Love Songs of Boysie Singh, tells the unforgettable story of four incredible…
The Piece with the Drums
Pulsating with theatrical magic, The Piece with the Drums is a joyous, driving dance narrative between dancer and…
Fite Fuaite
An electrifying evening of experimental, electronica, indie-rock, and traditional music, performed by some of the most innovative modern…
Touch, Hear, Feel
Touch, Hear, Feel is both an interactive installation and an immersive dance performance by choreographer and visual artist…
Iron and Wine
Iron & Wine makes a long-overdue return to Belfast, following the release of his seventh full-length album Light…
Bridging Beats: From Kansas City to Belfast
Prepare for a night of genre-defying performances with the phenomenal Kadesh Flow and the enchanting Jasmine “Jass” Couch!
The Vanishing Elephant | Cahoots NI
Cahoots NI’s moving story of friendship, belonging and adventure - In the heart of Bengal, a young boy…
Introducing The Savage Five: Contemporary Art Song for voice and string ensemble.
Charismatic Belfast-born soprano and jazz singer Suzanne Savage collaborates with string ensemble the Savage Five to create genre-defying…
Naomi Alderman
From the best-selling author of The Power comes a lightning-fast thriller confronting the technology that rules our lives.
Cultural Walking Tours: Talking Heads – Keep Looking Up
A fascinating look at the roundels/sculptured heads high on the Victorian buildings that we pass every day, what…
Impasse
Impasse is a compelling exploration of ethnicity, identity and the experience of the Black diaspora.
Losing It + In Between
An electric evening of performance from Palestine exploring the trauma of war through movement and sound.
The Gate House
The Gate House will bring you to a Belfast you’ve never before experienced.
Fat Dog
Fat Dog are one of London’s most exciting new bands, conjuring the sort of frenzied live shows not…
Music and Stories
A family-friendly concert for an autumnal Sunday afternoon, informal and welcoming for all ages.
The Fidelio Trio
Shortlisted for the 2016 Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards, the Trio broadcast regularly on BBC Radio 3 and…
David Park
Marking his literary archive becoming part of The Linen Hall’s collections, acclaimed novelist David Park joins in a…
Cultural Walking Tours: Old Belfast
Take a tour of Belfast’s cultural quarter for a thorough and fun exploration of the heart of old…
