Our call for 2027 events is now open. Read on to find out how you can bring your ideas to life in next year’s festival.

Our 2027 festival

The Imagine! Belfast Festival returns during 5-11 April 2027 and we are once again inviting you to send us ideas for an event as part of the festival.

Our annual Call for Ideas is intended to give people a role in programming the festival, from suggesting speakers to directly creating and delivering events. Although we can’t run with every proposal, we promise to review every submission carefully.

If you are interested, please complete the short Event Submission Form (link below) starting on 16 October 2026 and before the deadline on 20 November 2026.

What are we looking for?

We are open to all suggestions, but we particularly appreciate proposals that are original, imaginative and creative. You may have an idea for an event around a particular issue or idea using a format such as a debate, performance, exhibition, workshop or a kids / family offering. However, your proposed event must be engaging and accessible for the wider community, and deliverable from a logistical, health & safety and financial point of view.

We can help find you a venue and take care of marketing and ticketing etc. As a starting point, we will pay partners the net income from tickets sold for their events (minus box office fees and 10% commission).

If you need more help, you may be eligible for a small event subsidy – eligibility criteria is detailed on the online submissions form.

For 2027, we would particularly welcome events around the theme of deliberative democracy, social justice and equity, economics, climate action, digital futures & AI, and the impact of arts & culture – however, please do not regard this as a prescriptive list.

It is essential that you review the Open Call Guidelines before submission for further details on eligibility, terms, conditions and festival rights.

How do I get involved?

We need you to complete the submission form with as much detail as possible. Your submission will be acknowledged, before being considered alongside other applications. Shortlisted suggestions will be taken forward by our committee, and the final decision will be made by mid-December 2027.

please note:

All events must take place during 5–11 April 2027 either as public events in Belfast and/or online.
Your event(s) should be as financially accessible as possible – consider free or pay what you can ticketing options.
We require events to be fully accessible and organised with an inclusive mindset to proactively address the needs of all potential attendees.
Events should be as creative and imaginative as possible with your audience encouraged to participate.
Organisers should take responsibility for all relevant insurances, licences, and health & safety requirements, including any required public health safeguards. This evidence must be provided on request.
Organisers should take responsibility for all costs associated with the event. Assistance may however be available subject to criteria detailed in our submissions form.
Organisers should help publicise and promote their particular event(s) on any print materials, social media, and websites you use.
AI generated images and/or artwork are prohibited from use to promote Imagine! Festival events. We have clear guidelines on text free, simple images and our experienced team of designers can assist if needed.
Assistance in the form of helping to originate and distribute publicity materials, supplying photos of your event, facilitating media coverage, providing online resources and post-event evaluation will be appreciated.
Although we will have a limited number of volunteers, we ask that each event organiser has at least one assistant available to assist with front of house and collection of Imagine! surveys.
We can provide further information and advice on these guidelines as required.

For inspiration from past events, check out our previous festivals.

Now, please watch the video:

Other opportunities

There will be opportunities to participate as a volunteer with the festival team. Other opportunities will develop for individuals and groups nearer the festival so send us an expression of interest by emailing us before 15 January 2027. We are also currently looking for help with photography, filming and social media promotion. We always need help with fundraising – could you or your organisation host a fundraising event for the festival, or do you know someone who would be interested in sponsorship?

Contact details and further information

If you’d like to discuss your event idea prior to submission, or need any further information, please contact:

he***@************st.com

Otherwise, click below to get started!

event submission form

support imagine!

In this climate of austerity, it’s difficult to secure public funding for our work. We try to make our programme as accessible as possible to the public at large and yet pay our performers a decent fee. We work hard to ensure that almost all of our events are free – so if you feel like making a donation (no matter how small), please use this secure payment system provided by PayPal. We’re a registered charity with low administration costs.

donate

In this climate of austerity, it’s difficult to secure public funding for our work – so if you feel like making a donation (no matter how small), you can do so on our PayPal page. Thank you!