Submissions Now Open for Scene + Heard 2025
Exciting news for artists across the country: submissions for the 2025 Scene + Heard Festival are officially open! This is your chance to take part in one of Ireland's most innovative and eclectic festivals. The deadline for applications is 30th September, so it’s time to bring those bold, imaginative ideas to life.
Smock Alley Theatre is calling out to artists from every genre and discipline to submit their most creative, boundary-pushing, multi-genre works. Whether it's comedy, theatre, dance, spoken word, drag, circus, or an exhilarating mix of them all, Scene + Heard is the platform for new work to make its debut in front of a live audience. The key criterion: the work must be brand new and never before seen.
Described as a creative “tapas” festival, Scene + Heard showcases excerpts of fresh, never-before-seen work, inviting artists to test out their ideas and engage directly with audiences, who have the unique opportunity to influence the development of future full-scale productions.
The 2024 Programme:
Scene + Heard 2024 promises to be the most diverse and international programme to date. With over 600 performers, designers, directors, creators, and producers showcasing 112 unique presentations, the festival will feature a vast array of artistic expressions. Expect to encounter Japanese letter writing, Lithuanian folk chanting, Bharatanatyam Indian dance, Brazilian extravaganzas, and even astrophysics for dogs!
This year’s programme is a melting pot of genres and cultures, with standouts like 2% Viking, a one-man Viking comedy show, the immersive installation Rose, and the intercultural fusion of Samba & Sunsets: A Brazilian Extravaganza. Other must-see acts include Grouchy Letters, a play that proves Japanese letter writing is far from dead, and The Pretty Pill, a performance that takes a deep dive into the pressures of living in a world made for “pretty people.”
For the young ones (or the young at heart), Francis Darcy: The Fartsy Darcy Ballerina is bound to leave an unforgettable impression.
Scene + Heard is all about fostering creative risk-taking and giving emerging voices a chance to shine. It provides a space for artists to experiment and explore bold new ideas in a collaborative, supportive environment. The festival has always been an incubator for daring concepts, allowing creators to stretch the limits of their imagination and audiences to experience new work that challenges and entertains.
So, if you’re an artist ready to ignite the stage with something fresh and unexpected, Scene + Heard 2025 wants to hear from you! The possibilities are limitless, and the platform is yours.
Submit your application by 30th September and get ready to be part of the most exciting festival of new work in Ireland!