![Web Header Web](https://belfastinternationalartsfestival.com/assets/uploads/Web-Header_web-1440x810.png)
2021 Festival
Belfast International Arts Festival returned for our 59th 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
Be sure to sign up to our e-newsletter to be the first to know about the latest Festival news and announcements!
BIAF21 Trailer
The Official Launch
What you missed
![Laoisetiarnan Web](https://belfastinternationalartsfestival.com/assets/uploads/LaoiseTiarnan_web-480x270.png)
Laoise Kelly – Harp Workshop
![Bunting Project Web](https://belfastinternationalartsfestival.com/assets/uploads/Bunting-Project_web-480x270.png)
The Bunting Collection: Laoise Kelly & Tiarnán Ó Duinnchinn with Stephen Rea
![Snapped Ankles Web](https://belfastinternationalartsfestival.com/assets/uploads/Snapped-Ankles_web-480x270.png)
Snapped Ankles
![Department Story Web](https://belfastinternationalartsfestival.com/assets/uploads/Department-Story_web-480x270.png)
Department Story
![As Tears Go By Web](https://belfastinternationalartsfestival.com/assets/uploads/As-Tears-Go-By_web-480x270.png)
As Tears Go By
![Belfast City Hall in summer, with groups of people sitting on the lawns enyoing the sunshine. Courtesy of Tourism NI](https://belfastinternationalartsfestival.com/assets/uploads/Belfast-City-Hall_web-size_2500x1200px-2-480x270.jpg)
Quirky Walking Tour of Belfast
![Days Of Being Wild Web](https://belfastinternationalartsfestival.com/assets/uploads/Days-of-Being-Wild_web-480x270.png)
Days of Being Wild
![John Rainey Web](https://belfastinternationalartsfestival.com/assets/uploads/John-Rainey_web-480x270.png)
Slip Tank – John Rainey
![Great Irish Songbook Web1](https://belfastinternationalartsfestival.com/assets/uploads/Great-Irish-Songbook_web1-480x270.png)
The Great Irish Songbook
![Natasha And Caleb Web](https://belfastinternationalartsfestival.com/assets/uploads/Natasha-and-Caleb-_web-480x270.png)
Natasha Brown & Caleb Azumah Nelson
![Colm Toibin And Damon Galgut Web](https://belfastinternationalartsfestival.com/assets/uploads/Colm-Toibin-and-Damon-Galgut_web-480x270.png)
Colm Tóibín & Damon Galgut
![Glen Hansard Web](https://belfastinternationalartsfestival.com/assets/uploads/Glen-Hansard_web-480x270.png)
Glen Hansard
![Far Caspian Web](https://belfastinternationalartsfestival.com/assets/uploads/Far-Caspian_web-480x270.png)
Far Caspian
![Chungking Express Web](https://belfastinternationalartsfestival.com/assets/uploads/Chungking-Express_web-480x270.png)
Chungking Express
![Jan And Lucy Web (1)](https://belfastinternationalartsfestival.com/assets/uploads/Jan-and-Lucy_web-1-480x270.png)
Lucy Caldwell & Jan Carson
![Dominique Barbéris & Gaëlle Josse Web](https://belfastinternationalartsfestival.com/assets/uploads/Dominique-Barberis-Gaelle-Josse-_web-480x270.png)
Dominique Barbéris & Gaëlle Josse
![Eimaer Web](https://belfastinternationalartsfestival.com/assets/uploads/Eimaer_web-1-480x270.png)
Electric Arcade
![Fallen Angels Web](https://belfastinternationalartsfestival.com/assets/uploads/Fallen-Angels_web-480x270.png)
Fallen Angels
![The Hand Web](https://belfastinternationalartsfestival.com/assets/uploads/The-Hand_web-480x270.png)
The Hand (Director’s Cut)
![Brian Desmond Hurst Web](https://belfastinternationalartsfestival.com/assets/uploads/Brian-Desmond-Hurst_web-480x270.png)
Brian Desmond Hurst – World War 2 Propaganda Film Showcase
![Seamas O’reilly & Lucy Mangan Web](https://belfastinternationalartsfestival.com/assets/uploads/Seamas-OReilly-Lucy-Mangan-_web-480x270.png)
Séamas O’Reilly & Lucy Mangan
![Happy Together Web](https://belfastinternationalartsfestival.com/assets/uploads/Happy-Together_web-480x270.png)
Happy Together
![Benyounes Web](https://belfastinternationalartsfestival.com/assets/uploads/Benyounes-_web-480x270.png)
Benyounes Quartet
![In The Mood For Love Web](https://belfastinternationalartsfestival.com/assets/uploads/In-The-Mood-For-Love_web-480x270.png)