Brighton Festival 2016

Saturday 7th to Sunday 29th May 2016
various venues, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 1UE, England MAP
various ticket prices, plus FREE outdoor events.

Daily capacity: 20,000

Last updated: Wed 21st Sep 2016

The dates for the 50th Brighton Festival are confirmed as from Saturday 7th to Sunday 29th May 2016.

Brighton Festival is an annual showcase for theatre, music, dance, performance and books, from both local and international artists.

Line-up

Over the three-week Festival many of the guest director’s interests and passions will be explored in a wide-ranging programme which spans music, theatre, dance, visual art, film, literature and debate from a wide range of national and international companies and artists.

The eclectic programme - which spans music, theatre, dance, visual art, film, literature and debate - features 54 commissions, co-commissions, exclusives and premieres. The line-up includes Beth Orton, Tindersticks, Music for Dogs, New Blood, Lou Reed Drones, African Dance Party, Laurie Anderson, Duke Garwood, Fuga Perpetua, Hacienda Classical, Laura Mvula, Moments of Weightlessness - Sarah Nicolls, Floating Points, London Symphony Orchestra, Dido and Aeneas with Ann Murray, Amalthea Duo, Ferio Saxophone Quartet, Alke Quartet, Vox Luminis, Takacs Quartet, Brighton Youth Orchestra, Luka Okros, Bronte Hudnott and Naoki Ishibashi, Gemma Lois Summerfield and Simon Lepper, The Marian Consort, The Dream of Gerontius, Foyle–Stsura Duo, Alexander Soares, Y–Squared, Trio Isimsiz, Trio Isimsiz, Philharmonia Orchestra, and Debashish Bhattacharya, plus Akram Khan's 'Until The Lions', Gillian Wearing,Nik Bärtsch and Eivind Aarset, Chris Marker, Complicite /Simon Burney's 'The Encounter', 'The Last Resort', the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare's death: The Complete Deaths, Spymonkey, Tim Crouch, Marc Rees, James Orchard Halliwell-Phillipps, Neil Bartlett, Blast Theory & Hydrocracker's 'Black Antler', Orchestra of Sound and Light, 'Dr Blighty' Children's Parade, Yanis Varoufakis, Lionel Shriver, Marlon James, Howard Jacobson, and more.

Alongside a range of theatre, dance, film and literature events, including new works from Laurie Anderson alongside exclusives, world and UK premieres from a wide range of international, national and local artists and companies. Full programme details will be announced on Wednesday 17 February 2016 but key commissions include The Complete Deaths, a partnership between Tim Crouch and Spymonkey – to re-enact every onstage death from the works of William Shakespeare in a sublimely funny tribute to mark the 400th anniversary of the Bard's death; Memory is a Minefield, a new work from Argentinian artist Lola Arias developed with and performed by Argentinian and British veterans of the Falklands conflict; Stella, a theatrical love letter to one half of the infamous Victorian cross-dressing duo Fanny and Stella by Neil Bartlett; and Until The Lions, a brand new, full-length production from choreographer and dancer Akram Khan.

Brighton Festival 2016 will also feature a major new commission in partnership with 14-18 NOW - whose nationwide programme of arts experiences seeks to connect people with the First World War - as part of the UK's official centenary commemorations, plus a Books and Debate programme delivered in partnership with Guardian Live, and the return of caravan (15-17 May 2016), a three-day biennial curated industry showcase of the best new theatre, which this year features eight performances which will be open to the public.

As ever Brighton Festival kicks off with the Children’s Parade.

Other events include a full programme of visual arts & film, books and debate, classical music, dance & circus, programming for children, lunchtime concerts, outdoor events, and theatre.

Tickets

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Ticket prices vary depending on events, many of them are free.

Guest Director

This year's Guest Director is pioneering artist and musician Laurie Anderson who takes the helm of the arts celebration now in its 50th year.

More info

It is said to attract an audience of over 500,000 and is a cultural extravaganza with performances taking place at venues all around the city including parks, churches, arts centres, and the beach.

More information will be here when available.