2021 Festival

Belfast International Arts Festival returned for our 59^th edition from 6 October to 7 November with an extensive programme that gave audiences opportunities to both experience live performances again whilst also enjoying a selection of online events at home!

Northern Ireland’s largest contemporary arts festival and cornerstone of the annual cultural calendar, the 2021 edition continued to explore contemporary matters of interest to our audiences such as gender equality, multi-culturalism, representation, the climate crisis, and democracy.

Check out the At a Glance Guide.

You may also want to read our Director’s Introduction to the programme, and foreword by our prinicipal funder Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

This year’s programme was made possible thanks to our principal funder, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and to Belfast City Council, British Council, the Government of Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs, Tourism NI and a range of project funders and sponsors, including Belfast Harbour and the Irish News. Find out more

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