Belfast Fleadh Fringe Festival 2026 - Expression of Interest

Expression of Interest – Fleadh Fringe Programme 2026

*Deadline for survey submissions Friday 20th March 5pm*

Introduction

Belfast City Council will host Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann for the first time from 2nd – 9th August 2026. The Fleadh is the world’s largest annual celebration of Irish traditional music, language, song, and dance, it involves a series of schools, competitions, awards and special concerts throughout the week. This historic occasion presents a unique opportunity to showcase Belfast’s rich cultural vibrancy and diversity of traditions. The Fringe Programme will complement the Comhaltas core programme of competitions, concerts and the Scoil Éigse, animating the city with multi-artform inclusive, creative, and celebratory events showcasing all forms of traditional culture across our city.

We’ve contracted Curation & Management Services to work with Council and Fleadh Executive Committee on delivering the Fringe Programme for Fleadh Belfast 2026.

City Centre Fringe: May We Events https://www.maywe.co.uk/

City-Wide Fringe: The Duncairn (174 Trust) https://www.theduncairn.com/

The Fringe Programme will follow a similar model to Culture Night 2025 whereby the city comes to life with a series of pop up creative moments, events and activities that showcase the rich and talented creative and community sector in Belfast, whilst also taking into consideration how to balance programming with the scale of footfall and activity taking place for the Fleadh (we anticipate over 800,000 people will visit Belfast across the week).

To assist with our Curators' process we are completing this Expression of Interest survey to understand better what ideas there are for the Fringe and what demand there is for support for producing events for this programme. We'll be sharing the outcomes of this with May We and 174 Trust to shape the next stage of the curation process.

Principles:

1. Funding for events will be available however this budget is finite, and there will be high demand from across the city so please bear this in mind when submitting your idea. (We've capped this EOI at £3k max per event)
2. Submission of an idea does not guarantee it being programmed as part of the Fleadh Fringe, this is the first step in a staged process to understand the possibilities and potential for the Fringe to help us design the next phase of the process.
3. All submissions will be handled confidentially, submission of an idea does not grant the Council or Curators any rights to use, adapt or deliver the concept. Any proposal selected for final programme will be subject to a formal agreement with the Curator.
4. Financial support for Fleadh Fringe Events will be for a not-for-profit basis – not for commercial/ for profit events
5. Ideas can be for ticketed/charged events as along as tickets are affordably and inclusively priced and all box office income contributes to the overall cost of the event (not for profit)
6. We can’t fund – utility costs, core salary costs, commercial events, purchase of alcohol, political activities, religious activities, memorials, marketing and publicity costs, food-based events, inflatables or fireworks.
7. Due to volume of submissions expected we won't be able to give individualised feedback on submissions.

_________________________________________________________________

To find out more about the Fleadh Cheoil visit: www.fleadhcheoil.ie

__________________________________________________________________

The Fleadh Fringe in Belfast 2026 will:

• Celebrate and complement the Fleadh Cheoil with a celebratory, inclusive, and contemporary cultural programme.
• Ensure representation of traditional, cross-genre, and community-driven content.
• Showcase Belfast’s diversity — ethnically, culturally, and artistically — through traditional and contemporary expressions of all cultures via music, dance, storytelling, and art.
• Activate public spaces and cultural venues across the city.
• Celebrate our city's UNESCO City of Music status.
• Support and showcase local artists, communities and cultural organisations.
• Ensure inclusivity and affordability, with a mix of free and low-cost ticketed events.
• Ensure capacity for spontaneous or pop-up performances in public spaces.
• Incorporate accessibility measures, relaxed performances, and sensory-friendly design.

Target Audience

The event promises to be an unforgettable experience, with something for everyone to enjoy celebrating Irish traditional culture alongside other cultural traditions from a wide and diverse range of communities and backgrounds.

• Local Community: Belfast residents and surrounding areas, promoting community engagement and cultural pride.
• Tourists and Visitors: Visitors from across Ireland, the UK, and internationally, drawn to Belfast to take part in the Fleadh Cheoil schools and competitions.
• Families: Activities and events suitable for all ages.
• Music Enthusiasts: Fans of traditional music, song, and dance, with world-class performances and competitions.
• Cultural Enthusiasts: Those interested in heritage, language, and culture
• Students and Educators: Opportunities for learning and professional development in traditional music and culture.

The City Centre and City Wide Fleadh Fringe Programme will be curated across city centre and city wide venues, halls, public spaces, squares and streets showcasing a mix of music, dance, spoken word, theatre, visual arts, comedy, workshops, and outdoor performances & spectacles.

Here are some events that could take place:

The privacy statement is at the start of the survey and contained within frequently asked questions.