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
Naomi Alderman
From the best-selling author of The Power comes a lightning-fast thriller confronting the technology that rules our lives.
The Chancellor’s 175 Address
Ulster University’s Chancellor and Belfast School of Art alumnus Colin Davidson reflects on his journey from student to…
The Vanishing Elephant | Cahoots NI
Cahoots NI’s moving story of friendship, belonging and adventure - In the heart of Bengal, a young boy…
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…
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…
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…
Iron and Wine
Iron & Wine makes a long-overdue return to Belfast, following the release of his seventh full-length album Light…
They Might Be Giants
Following 70+ sold-out shows in the US, They Might Be Giants bring their hugely popular “Evening with” performance…
Fite Fuaite
An electrifying evening of experimental, electronica, indie-rock, and traditional music, performed by some of the most innovative modern…
David Park
Marking his literary archive becoming part of The Linen Hall’s collections, acclaimed novelist David Park joins in a…
Róise ní Bhaoill
Róise Ní Bhaoill joins us to discuss her award-winning collection of short stories Imram agus Scéalta Eile.
Joseph Beuys and The Belfast School of Art
This session takes place exactly fifty years to the day Beuys visited the then College of Art and…
Losing It + In Between
An electric evening of performance from Palestine exploring the trauma of war through movement and sound.
Gurriers
Described as “raw as a butcher’s cut, and just as fresh” by the Irish Times, Gurriers have been…
Jon Savage The Secret Public: How LGBTQ Resistance shaped culture 1955-79
One of Britain’s best chroniclers of music and social history comes to Belfast International Arts Festival to mark…
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,…
The Gate House
The Gate House will bring you to a Belfast you’ve never before experienced.
Aurora: A Modern Myth
Brought to you by the multi-award-winning Prime Cut Productions, this World Premiere of a new work by Dominic…
The Piece with the Drums
Pulsating with theatrical magic, The Piece with the Drums is a joyous, driving dance narrative between dancer and…
Tom McRae
The Mercury and Brit nominated artist Tom McRae returned this year with his 9th album Étrange Hiver, which…
Cultural Walking Tours: Blue Plaque Tours
A stroll around the centre of Belfast that focuses on the lives of important citizens of the city…
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…
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…
Austin Duffy and Phil Harrison
Writing about the turning points of the Troubles and the legacy of masculinity.
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…
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.
Les Amazones d’Afrique
Les Amazones d'Afrique are a collective of supremely talented female musicians from West Africa.
Music and Stories
A family-friendly concert for an autumnal Sunday afternoon, informal and welcoming for all ages.
Fat Dog
Fat Dog are one of London’s most exciting new bands, conjuring the sort of frenzied live shows not…
Touch, Hear, Feel
Touch, Hear, Feel is both an interactive installation and an immersive dance performance by choreographer and visual artist…
Ingrid Persaud and Sunjeev Sahota
Ingrid Persaud’s latest book, The Lost Love Songs of Boysie Singh, tells the unforgettable story of four incredible…
Cultural Walking Tours: Old Belfast
Take a tour of Belfast’s cultural quarter for a thorough and fun exploration of the heart of old…
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…
Michael Longley
Michael is welcomed to Belfast International Arts Festival for a special event to mark his 85th birthday in…
Lisa Hannigan
Belfast International Arts Festival welcomes Lisa to Belfast’s Mandela Hall on 26 November for a fully seated show.
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.
The Persian, Kurdish, Celtic Connection
A cultural weave story with the sounds of Persian, Kurdish and Irish instruments and vocals.
Granny Jackson’s Dead
Granny Jackson’s Dead... but her story isn’t.
Impasse
Impasse is a compelling exploration of ethnicity, identity and the experience of the Black diaspora.
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!
Celebrating The Past – MFA Fine Art
The MFA Fine Art was the first of its kind on the island of Ireland and one of…
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…
BBC Introducing LIVE
BBC Introducing LIVE returns to the Festival for a second year, showcasing unmissable performances from Northern Ireland’s rising…
The Fidelio Trio
Shortlisted for the 2016 Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards, the Trio broadcast regularly on BBC Radio 3 and…
David Peace
BIAF are delighted to welcome David Peace to Belfast for the publication of Munichs, the third novel in…
