2020 Festival

Belfast International Arts Festival returns for our 58^th edition this October with a programme of inspirational events that seeks to respond creatively to the current pandemic. The 2020 edition will primarily be hosted online and takes place from Monday 12 October to Sunday 1 November.

As Northern Ireland’s largest contemporary arts festival and cornerstone of the annual cultural calendar, this year’s programme features an extended Talks & Ideas programme; theatre, dance and music performances reimagined for a digital audience; and developmental initiatives for artists from across the island.

The 2020 edition continues to explore contemporary matters of interest to our audiences such as gender equality, multi-culturalism, representation, the climate crisis, and democracy.

Did you know you can catch-up on demand on 18 events from the most recent festival edition? There’s fascinating talks with new and established names in the worlds of fiction, non-fiction and poetry; reflections on Northern Ireland’s recent past; and work by leading Northern Ireland artists. You can catch-up on #BIAF20 on our YouTube channel.

Go to BIAF YouTube channel