The Dumfries & Galloway Arts Festival returns this spring with a vibrant programme of theatre, music, spoken word and outdoor arts presented in venues across the region.
Running from 21st May to 14th June 2026, the festival will once again bring artists and audiences together in towns and villages throughout Dumfries & Galloway, celebrating creativity in some of Scotland’s most beautiful rural landscapes.
Now heading towards its 50th anniversary, the festival continues its mission to present world-class performing arts across the region while supporting local artists and strengthening community connections. The programme blends international productions, nationally acclaimed performers and outstanding regional talent in an exciting and wide-ranging celebration of live performance.
Following a rebrand in summer 2025, this year’s event is the first festival presented under the organisation’s new identity, Arts D&G. Formerly known as Dumfries & Galloway Arts Festival, the organisation relaunched in July 2025 to better reflect the wider range of performing arts activity it delivers throughout the year across the region. While the organisation’s name has evolved, the Dumfries & Galloway Arts Festival remains at the heart of its work, continuing a tradition that has brought world-class performing arts to communities across the south-west of Scotland for more than four decades.
This year’s festival opens with Sand, Silt, Flint by Aberdeenshire-based singer and producer Fiona Soe Paing at Eskdalemuir Hub, an evocative production combining traditional ballads, electronic soundscapes and visual storytelling. The opening weekend also features the Scottish Chamber Orchestra performing Rhythms of Fire at The Bridge in Dumfries, promising an electrifying programme including Mendelssohn, Schumann and Beethoven.
Theatre remains at the heart of the festival, with a dynamic programme spanning powerful storytelling, contemporary adaptations and international collaborations. Highlights include the return of acclaimed storyteller James Rowland with the deeply moving and hilarious Team Viking, and the award-winning Boiler Room Six by Tom Foreman Productions, telling the remarkable true story of a Titanic stoker’s fight for survival. Performing five shows across the region, Glasgow Oran Mor’s famous A Play, A Pie and a Pint brings another of its delicious lunchtime theatre offers with Member’s Only.
International work also features strongly this year. Quebec company La Fille Du Laitier brings their bold and visually striking silent-film inspired adaptation Macbeth Muet to the region, while a unique collaboration between Japanese company Bird Theatre and The Galloway Agreement presents Towa Mura by Tom Pow, a lyrical exploration of rural life and community.
The festival’s outdoor programme invites audiences to experience performances in distinctive locations across the region. Oceanallover’s The Sailmaker’s Palm blends music, dance and storytelling in site-specific performances at Annan Harbour and Stranraer Harbour, while Cirqulation’s Journey brings thrilling contemporary circus to Knockengorroch Festival.
Music continues to play a central role in the festival’s programme, with performances ranging from classical to folk and contemporary soundscapes. Opera lovers can enjoy Opera Caledonia’s semi-staged performance of Verdi’s La Traviata at the spectacular Barwhillanty Estate, alongside Scottish Opera’s popular Pop-Up Opera performances of The Elixir of Love and Rigoletto. Meanwhile, Firelight Trio present a lively evening of European folk traditions, and local musicians Rebecca Carson and Anne Chaurand showcase a dazzling flute and guitar recital in Kirkcudbright.
Families are also well catered for with Fungi Frida & the Myco Heroes, an interactive outdoor performance exploring the environment through storytelling, music and puppetry.
Alongside the main programme, the festival continues to champion emerging artists through Up Yer Airts, Arts D&G’s youth initiative. The Geez A Choon exhibition at The Stove in Dumfries will showcase new music, photography and film created by young artists from across the region, culminating in a live showcase at The Venue featuring exciting local bands such as the High Priestess.
The spoken word programme also returns with the South of Scotland Poetry Slam, hosted by I Am Loud, bringing together some of the most exciting voices from across the region to compete in one of the UK’s leading slam poetry competitions.
Simon Hart, Director and CEO of Arts D&G, said:
“As part of our organisation’s successful rebrand, we have significantly refreshed the festival’s brochure and online presence, as well as programming more events in venues across Dumfries & Galloway. We are really pleased that along with leading national and regionally based artists and companies, we have been able to bring international work of the highest quality to this year’s festival. It’s a packed line-up of great theatre, music, spoken word, street arts and opera for all ages and tastes! We look forward to welcoming you to a venue in your community this May and June!”
Tickets for events across the Dumfries & Galloway Arts Festival 2026 are available now.
For more information and to book tickets, visit:
www.artsdg.org.uk
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