Brewing is our showcase in the annual Outburst Queer Arts Festival where queer artists, performers and writers try out short extracts from new performance works that they are still developing, in front of a live festival audience.
Up to five artists and makers will have a maximum of 15 minutes each to share an extract from something new they are working on. The artists will share a question they have about the work in advance, something that they would like to get feedback on from a queer audience as they continue to develop the work. There will be a feedback conversation between the artists and the audience at the end of the performances.
Works in previous Brewing showcases have gone on to be developed by Outburst, or by other production partners who have supported the artists to take their ideas forward.
Each artist will receive a small award to help them realise their idea for the showcase and will also receive dramaturgical support through a session with the Outburst team as they develop their work in advance of the festival.
Artists living and working in Northern Ireland/North of Ireland/This Place/The Island of Ireland are prioritised for Brewing.
HOW TO SUBMIT TO BE IN THE SHOWCASE
Please send your submission as an email attachment and in PDF or in Word format only, with BREWING SUBMISSION 2025 as the email subject line, email: hello@outburstarts.com.
Please include the following:
- Up to 400 words telling us about the work you want to share an extract from. Tell us in your own words about your process, your research and why you think being in the showcase might help you to develop this work.
- Information about your practice so far. This can be a one-page artist CV, a link to your website, your social media, videos etc. Please don’t send any materials via third party sites, e.g. Dropbox, WeTransfer, Google Drive. Only send file attachments to your email, or viewable links (YouTube, Vimeo etc.).
The closing date for submission for Brewing is midday 7 July 2025.
We’ll be in touch by the end of July and explore what support we can provide.
FAQS
Here are some questions we have been asked before. If you have any other questions please email us at hello@outburstarts.com
When does Brewing happen?
The Brewing showcase takes place in Outburst Queer Arts Festival, 14-22 November 2025.
How long should my work-in-progress be?
Performances in the Brewing showcase must be between 10-15 minutes. This is a work-in-progress space with the idea of trying something out in front of an audience. So a short extract rather than a whole piece will work best for you.
I was selected for Brewing in a previous year , am I eligible to submit a new work-in-process?
Yes you can, but depending on the number of submissions we will prioritise artists who have not had the opportunity in the last 2 years.
I have never created a full show before, can I submit to Brewing?
Yes – Brewing is designed for artists at any stage of their career, whether you’re an emerging artist or an established artist wanting to try something new. Brewing is about the ideas and how useful this opportunity will be to you, whatever your level of experience.
Can I use visuals/sound cues/props and staging/other performers?
We’ll provide an on-site technician for the performance but lighting, sound cues and props etc. should be kept to a minimum. Outburst has a pay the artist policy, so numbers of performers are limited by budget (but your actors can double up if needed!). To enable smooth turnaround between performances, sets must be easily interchangeable.
