Three productions from Northern Ireland have been selected for the Edinburgh Fringe 2026, highlighting the region's creative ambition. The festival, running from August 7 to 31, will feature 3,649 shows across 258 venues, with a total of 53,884 performances covering topics such as artificial intelligence, the manosphere, cults, and social class.
Selected Productions
The showcased works include The Pitch by Philip Catherwood, produced by Moya Jane Productions; Good With Faces by Oisín Kearney, produced by Gina Donnelly and supported by Culture Ireland; and Aliens by Alessandra Celesia and Dumbworld. These will appear at the Spotlight on Theatre and Dance from Northern Ireland event, designed to promote artists and organisations from the region.
International Impact
Niamh Flanagan, executive director of Theatre and Dance NI, said the selected productions “demonstrate the creativity, originality and ambition that continues to make Northern Ireland’s theatre and dance sector stand out on the international stage.” She added, “We’ve seen the impact these opportunities can have. Earlier this year, Karis Kelly’s Consumed, which participated in Spotlight in 2025, opened in Caracas, Venezuela as Consumidas after a connection made through the programme.”
Support and Fellowships
Caoileann Curry-Thompson, development officer for drama and dance at the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, noted that after eight years, “we can now see the positive global impact that taking part in this initiative has had with many works from NI having toured internationally in Australia, North America, New Zealand, Venezuela and beyond.” The event is developed by Theatre and Dance NI (TDNI) in collaboration with Belfast International Arts Festival, with support from British Council Northern Ireland and The National Lottery through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
Additionally, four artists from Northern Ireland will join the Fellowship Programme: Una NicEoin, executive producer of Prime Cut Productions; Stephen Kelly, creative director of c21 Theatre Company; Heather Martin, founder and creative producer of Belfast Playwrights; and Mar Decena, a Mexican dancer, choreographer, teacher, and multidisciplinary artist.
Global Connections
Colm McGivern, director of British Council Northern Ireland, emphasised that the region “has an abundance of creative talent and it’s vital for them to have opportunities to reach a global audience and forge lasting connections with artists and arts organisations overseas.” Chris McCreery, artistic director and chief executive of Belfast International Arts Festival, added: “Edinburgh remains one of the most important meeting places for the global performing arts sector, and Spotlight provides an invaluable platform to showcase the extraordinary creativity emerging from Northern Ireland.”
