Performing Arts Forum Newsletter
Hi everyone,
We hope you’re doing very well.
First and foremost, Performing Arts Forum is excited to announce that the programme for this year’s Belfast Gathering curated by Ruth McGowan along with Creative Producer Alice Malseed is locked in!
We have already announced the Artistic Programme and the Open Up: Expanding Audience Research & Hear Her Out panels, but today we would like to reveal the full programme to you. You can also view it on our website.
There are optional parts of the programme that require sign up in advance, and all these forms will be sent next week. Newsletters about The Gathering from here on out will therefore be targeted to just those who have purchased tickets, and include much more information about all things Belfast Gathering; so book your tickets whilst you still can and keep your eyes peeled
11:30 – 12:45, Leaving from The Clayton
Tour of Lyric Theatre Scenic Shop (Optional)
See the Lyric’s award-winning commitment to sustainable set delivery in action. The Lyric Scene Shop is at the centre of Lyric’s commitment to sustainable set delivery. The workshop and production team promote the circular use of materials in scenic construction, fabricating scenery using recycled materials where possible, and recycling of production materials that would otherwise go to landfill. In this tour, those working in all aspects of theatre and theatre production can see the workshop in action. Advance sign up necessary and same tour taking place Wednesday morning – sign up form coming May 12th
12:00 – 13:45, Lyric Theatre
Registration open
12:00 – 13:45, Lyric Amphitheatre
Listening through the Lagan (Optional)
State-of-the-art field recording immersive listening experience by Pedro Rebelo, SARC. (Several drop-in sessions)
12:00 – 13:45, Lyric Foyer & Bar
The Return: Alice Berger Hammerschlag and The New Gallery visual art exhibition (Optional) reconnects visual art and theatre at the Lyric, revisiting an overlooked chapter of the theatre’s history. Through painting and archival materials, the exhibition explores the legacy of the Lyric’s New Gallery (1963–69) and its sole curator, artist, visionary and founding Lyric Player, Alice Berger Hammerschlag. Born in Vienna and trained under art education pioneer Franz Cižek, Hammerschlag, fled Nazi persecution in 1938, making postwar Belfast her home. A close friend of theatre co-founder Mary O’Malley, Hammerschlag designed sets for early Lyric productions by Yeats, Ibsen and Synge, and later transformed the New Gallery into a vital meeting place where art, performance, experimentation and ideas converged.
13:45 – 13:55, Lyric Auditorium
Opening – Belfast Ensemble performance
Welcome to Belfast! Belfast Ensemble are a pioneering force in cross-disciplinary theatre, seamlessly uniting music, theatre, and visual storytelling for audiences locally, nationally, and internationally. Today, they present highlights from their boundary-pushing canon, including the anti-establishment queer opera Dublin Jack; their hit musical Group!; and the multimedia installation, The Doppler Effect.
13:55 – 14:10, Lyric Auditorium
Words of Welcome
Welcome from Deputy Lord Mayor, Councillor Paul Doherty, Irma McLoughlin (Director of Performing Arts Forum), Mary Boland, (Chair of Performing Arts Forum) plus our Gathering 2026 Curator, Ruth McGowan and Creative Producer Alice Malseed.
14:10 – 14:55, Lyric Auditorium
Transformational Thinking
In our Transformational Thinking Open Call we asked for big ideas, and you answered! We were overwhelmed with the variety of ideas, creativity and bravery represented from across the island. This session spotlights five speakers as they articulate their fresh and solution-focused thinking that could transform the performing arts industry across the island of Ireland.
14:55 – 15:00, Lyric Auditorium
An invitation to the Long Table
An invitation from Ali Fitzgibbon to participate in an open discussion ”6 Years and Counting – what has changed and where to next?’
15:00 – 15:30, Lyric Bar
Coffee break (30 minutes)
We heard your feedback last year about making more time for community and informal networking. We know it is a rare opportunity to see all your industry colleagues in one place, or put faces to names. This extended break times is for you to make time to find each other and to connect.
15:30 – 16:30, Lyric Auditorium
Open Up: Expanding Audience Research
A provocation and panel discussion. Writer and journalist Roe McDermott will share responses and provocations on the latest survey data about audience attitudes on the island of Ireland. This will be followed by a discussion where Giuliano Levato (People of Theatre), Holly Adomah (Marketing Specialist), Fiona Bell (Thrive) and Heather Maitland (Arts Consultant) share innovative ideas for what venues and producers can do to make a broader spectrum of audiences feel motivated and welcome to come to performing arts events.
16:30 – 16:45, Lyric Bar
Comfort break (15 minutes)
16:45 – 17:00, Lyric Auditorium
A postcard from Kyiv
An essay from Dr Olesya Khromeychuk, historian and writer, describing the thriving audience culture in Ukraine’s capital four years on from the Russian invasion. Introduced by Jan Carson, novelist, writer and community arts facilitator.
17:00 – 17:15, Lyric Auditorium
Poetry
Showcasing voices from Northern Ireland’s vibrant and internationally celebrated poetry scene. Enjoy readings from captivating local poets Bebe Ashley, Mícheál McCann and Padaí de Cléir.
17:15 – 17:30, Lyric Auditorium
A postcard from Vienna
A video provocation from renowned director Milo Rau about the foundation of the RESISTANCE NOW TOGETHER! movement and their campaign to implement a European Artistic Freedom Act, transforming artistic freedom from a principle into a practical, enforceable right. Introduction by Paula McFetridge (Artistic Director, Kabosh)
17:30 – 18:00, Lyric Amphitheatre
Improvised music performance
Pop-up outdoor improvised music performance from Michael Speers (drums and percussion) and Paddy McKeown (guitar) presented by SARC: Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Sound and Music, Queen’s University Belfast. The event features the SARC Mobile, a bespoke broadcast and immersive field recording research vehicle.
18:00 – 20:00, Various locations
Break (2 hours)
Stroll through the Botanic Gardens, take a breather, nip back to your hotel, have a crafty pint.
20:00 – 21:30, Clayton Hotel, Ormeau Avenue
Dinner
Served in the Olympic Suite at the Clayton Hotel Belfast. Picture a GAA dinner dance with trendier shoes and less sports accumen, or a wedding with fewer cringe speeches and no risqué jokes from your uncle. The Clayton will bring the dinner, you bring the dancing.
21:30 – 22:10, Clayton Hotel, Ormeau Avenue
After Dark Cabaret
A sparkling after-dark extravaganza. Belfast cabaret icon Ross Anderson Doherty will electrify your evening, alongside the vintage glamour of burlesque artist Rita Peach and prancer, dancer and total chancer, Emily McDonagh.
22:00 – late, Clayton Hotel, Ormeau Avenue
DJ
Dancing til late with one of the city’s finest music selectors, Chris Frieze.
09:00 – 11:00, Various locations
Optional site visits and break-out sessions
· Option 1: Tour of Lyric Theatre Scenic Shop (Optional), leaving from The Clayton
See the Lyric’s award winning commitment to sustainable set delivery in action. The award winning Lyric Scene Shop is at the centre of Lyric’s commitment to sustainable set delivery. The workshop and production team promote the circular use of materials in scenic construction, fabricating scenery using recycled materials where possible, and recycling of production materials that would otherwise go to landfill. In this tour, those working in all aspects of theatre and theatre production can see the workshop in action. Advance sign-up necessary and same tour taking place Tuesday morning – sign up form coming May 12th
OR
· Option 2: Performing Arts Technology at Queen’s Tour, meeting point outside QFT
An opportunity to visit the facilities at MediaLab & SARC. This tour involves 20 minutes of walking. SARC is Queen’s University Belfast Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Sound and Music. This tour will take participants inside a unique building design for sound experimentation, production and performance with its various unique spatial and immersive sound systems. The MediaLab is researching a future where creatively-led, technologically-driven practitioners thrive in a dynamic landscape. See the technology that allows them to deliver their mission, to catalyse for creative and critical engagement in design, virtual worlds, and game technology. Advance sign up necessary – sign-up form coming May 12th
OR
· Option 3: Ali FitzGibbon Long Table Research, Brian Friel Theatre, meeting point at foyer of QFT
May 2026 is 6 years from the first lockdowns and the world standing still. Lockdown babies are in school. Lockdown school kids have finished university. Emergency responses and cultural recovery took different paths on the island since 2020. This interactive session explores where the performing arts sector on the island is at. What were the positive changes that emerged? What challenges are still with us? What is the learning with hindsight from such a critical time for performing arts? Facilitated by Ali FitzGibbon and using the Long Table approach designed by Split Britches, this session is open to all to attend, join, listen or step up to take a seat at the table where the only item on the menu is conversation. Sign-up form coming May 12th
OR
· Option 4: ‘Time To Talk’ Networking Window, Various locations
This is open space in the schedule for you to arrange some facetime with long distance collaborators, forge new connections or digest the day before. The time is yours. We suggest suggest Junction, Crescent Arts Centre or Napoleon Coffee as good meeting points.
11:00 – 11:05, Mandela Hall
Words of Welcome
A welcome from Dr. Kurt Taroff, Head of the School of Arts, English and Languages
11:05 – 11:55, Mandela Hall
Reinvention Stories
In a culture of scarcity, it’s easy for organisations to focus on maintaining what they already have, instead of asking what is required next by the artists and audiences they serve. This is a conversation about approaches to reinvention and evolving models with Tarik Elmoutawakil (Marlborough Productions) and Adam Turkington (Daisy Chain) chaired by Dr Kim-Marie Spence (Queen’s University Belfast).
11:55 – 12:35, Mandela Hall
Hear Her Out
Part 1: A talk from playwright and director Zinnie Harris that addresses the gendered nature of criticism and how it affects career sustainability for women artists.
Part 2: A performance lecture from Front & Centre, a voluntary collective of artists, academics and policymakers working in the arts across the island of Ireland and the UK, dedicated to advancing women and non-binary playwrights from the North of Ireland.
12:35 – 12:45, Mandela Hall
Comfort break (10 mins)
12:45 – 13:35, Mandela Hall
What Can We Do Together That We Cannot Do Apart?
Reflections on the power of collaboration from artists and organisers working with others to grow their impact and strengthen their practice. Thomas Wells (Array Collective), Gráinnemir Abualrob (Friends of Freedom Theatre Ireland), Sarah Byrne (Galway Theatre Festival), Kelly-Anne Collins (Young At Art) and Rachel Melaugh (In Your Space Circus) chaired by Maria Fleming (NCFA)
13:35 – 14:35, Junction @ Queen’s University Belfast
Lunch
14:35 – 15:35, Mandela Hall
Joined Up Thinking: exploring the possibilities of cross-border collaboration
Plenary Discussion: A focus on identifying and highlighting the possibilities of all-island collaboration in the performing arts. Based on the crowdsourced feedback from attendees, Olwen Dawe will facilitate a plenary discussion encouraging all participants to share their insights and ideas on how best to foster meaningful cross-border partnerships. With contributions from panellists Seón Simpson and Gina Donnelly (SkelpieLimmer), Moyra Darcy (Luail), Dr Aoife McGrath (Queen’s University Belfast) and Una NicEoin (Prime Cut).
15:35 – 15:40, Mandela Hall
Final thoughts from Irma McLoughlin, Director of Performing Arts Forum
END OF EVENT
That’s all for now – we’ll be releasing much more information on our social media and website over the next few weeks!
In the meantime, make sure to book your remaining tickets and hotels.
Performing Arts Forum Audience Benchmarks 2026
Last week, Heather Maitland and Katy Raines (Indigo) shared the latest findings from Performing Arts Forum’s Audience Benchmarks 2026 initiative that took place on 29 April 2026, designed to help the sector better understand audience behaviour, engagement, and trends.
This session offers valuable perspectives on:
· Ticketing and demographic trends
· Audience motivations and attitudes
· How organisations across Ireland are connecting with their audiences
· Practical insights to support audience growth, impact, and funding cases
Arts Insight 2025 Marketing Spotlight, 12 May
Arts Insight is a nationally representative public survey covering arts attendance, participation, engagement at home, and attitudes towards the arts. Commissioned by the Arts Council and undertaken by Ipsos B&A, the research has run annually since 2018.
Join us for an 11am session on 12 May with Performing Arts Forum and Alice Ryan, Head of Insight and Public Engagement at The Arts Council, who will share the latest findings from the 2025 iteration of the research, focusing particularly on who the audience for arts events is, what the barriers to attending are, how audiences find out about arts events and which platforms are used by which demographics.
Register via this form below and we will send you a zoom link in advance of the meeting.
We’ll be in touch very soon!
From all at Performing Arts Forum
(Irma, Eileen, Paul & Mary)
