Brighton Festival this morning announced the full line-up for the 2026 edition of the largest annual curated multi-arts festival in England. Returning to the city and surrounding areas, from 1-25 May, with over 100 events, this will be the first Festival under the artistic leadership of new Chief Executive Lucy Davies.
And what a barnstormer it is.
Lucy led the launch in Brighton Dome’s beautifully restored Corn Exchange. At the core of this, perhaps, was a decision to move away from the Guest Director models of the last few years to one where a Brighton Festival team, led by Lucy, will consciously draw on and deepen connections to the city. At the same time they will build up new partnerships and collaborations both in the South East and internationally and, most significantly, begin producing Brighton Festival commissioned original work.
Established in the late 1960s, 2026 marks the 60th edition of what is the largest Festival of its kind in England and a major event in the international arts calendar. It is so fitting for this city with its reputation as a hub for cultural innovation, collaboration and artistic experimentation. Brighton Festival attracts some of the most exciting artists and companies from all around the world in addition to celebrating and promoting homegrown artists from the region.
Deepening connections to the city
In her introduction to the new programme, Lucy Davies said: “I thank and celebrate all the people and partners involved in creating this landmark 60th edition of Brighton Festival…. we are entering an exciting new chapter. We will produce original work in theatre and land art and invite truly great artists to treat our beautiful Brighton Dome building as a site. The roll-call of artists and the volume of exceptional work taking place with 105 events across 24 days this May proves what a thriving ecosystem our Festival exists within. Brighton Festival collaborates with partners in art, nature and civic life across the city and the region. Our mission is to enrich the city, to welcome world class artists, and to create lifelong memories for the many audiences who make the Festival so dynamic every May.”
There are many highlights in multiple genres spanning theatre, dance, music, literature, visual art and debate. These include:
- Five world premieres including Kohlhaas directed by Omar Elerian and starring Arinzé Kene – the first original work to be produced by Brighton Festival – and a large-scale public artwork where monumental figures will appear along the Hove Seafront.
- Six Festival exclusives including one-off performances from Patti Smith, Laurie Anderson and the first ever collaboration between Sampa the Great and W.I.T.C.H.
- With other extraordinary artists including Beverly-Glenn Copeland, Fevered Sleep, Clod Ensemble, Nu Civilisation Orchestra, Akram Khan, Emma Rice Company, NoFitState, Sir Antonio Pappano, Angelique Kidjo, lestyn Davies, William Kentridge, Michael Rosen, Aldous Harding, Joelle Taylor, Asian Dub Foundation, Antonio Guzman & lva Jankovic, lsobel Smith and Abigail Norris.
Personal highlights
Those of us at the press launch saw a short film with exciting trailers for a number of the highlight acts including live-art company KlangHaus’s presentation of two different site-responsive, immersive experiences which will blend moving images, live music, light, sound-design and staging. Last Haus on Earth will be an audio-visual sensorial storm while, in Darkroom, audiences of only six will be plunged into darkness in this visceral response to climate change. What’s not to like?
I was also very struck by the short presentation of Soft Machines, a major new commission for Brighton-based artist lvan Morison and his long-term collaborator Heather Peak. Made from agricultural materials, monumental embodied forms will appear on Hove Promenade – a love letter to Brighton!
As soon as you open the programme you will see this year’s festival is a step up.
I love the emphasis on Brighton and Brighton connections. Lucy talked of standing on the shoulders of those who went before and certainly this year’s events feel like they are getting bigger and bolder and brighter. I must say I also noted something about the confidence of the programming: much less emphasis on the comedians that you find taking up every available space in Edinburgh.
Tickets on sale soon
Tickets go on sale on 26 February. For what it’s worth, I want to see both the Klanghaus shows; as well as Kohlhaas; the Black Saint and the Sinner Lady based on Charlie Mingus’ 1963 album; Dark Noon, a brutal reimagining of the history of America; Beverly Glen Copeland who is opening the festival; Angélique Kidjo, huge star of African music; Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra’s performance of the Shostakovich piece with a film by the incredible William Kentridge who will be in attendance to introduce it; maybe Aldous Harding. It’s almost too much!
What about Patti Smith? She’s on for two nights with different shows. And 130 other acts as well. This really is a great year for the Brighton festival.
Also, 2026 will mark the 40th Children’s Parade, the largest parade of its kind in Europe, and the 10th Our Place – Brighton Festival’s community curated programming strand.
The festival is also happy to announce that there are 25 free events across the city during the festival and that tickets for over 60 performances will be priced at £15 or less.
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