Belfast International Ballet Festival & High Points Youth Ballet Summer Intensive

Supported by Belfast City Council

The Belfast International Ballet Festival and High Points Youth Ballet Summer Intensive have become a highlight of the ballet calendar in Northern Ireland, bringing together young dancers, professional artists, teachers, and ballet enthusiasts from across Northern Ireland, Ireland, Scotland, England, Türkiye and beyond.

Since its launch in 2024, the Belfast International Ballet Festival has continued to grow each year, creating unique opportunities for artistic collaboration, professional training and performance while celebrating the vibrant ballet community within Northern Ireland and across the international dance world.

Organised by High Points Youth Ballet, the festival was established with a vision of providing world-class ballet opportunities locally while creating pathways for young dancers to train with internationally respected artists and perform alongside both emerging and established professionals.

The festival is preceded by the High Points Youth Ballet Summer Intensive, an exceptional training programme that offers dancers the opportunity to work with renowned international teachers, choreographers, and artists. Through intensive ballet training, repertoire, contemporary dance, coaching and performance preparation, participants gain valuable experience that supports their artistic and technical development.

Together, the Summer Intensive and Festival create a unique platform where dancers can train, perform, learn, and be inspired while building connections within the wider international ballet community.

BIBF 2026

What an Incredible Year!

The 2026 Belfast International Ballet Festival has now come to a close, and we are incredibly proud of what was another successful and inspiring edition of the festival.

We welcomed dancers, teachers and professional artists from across Northern Ireland, the UK, Ireland and internationally, creating a wonderful atmosphere of learning, collaboration and celebration.

A huge thank you to everyone who took part, supported the festival and joined us in celebrating ballet in Belfast.

And now, we look forward to the next chapter…

Start Preparing Now

Registration for the 2027 Belfast International Ballet Festival is expected to open around April/May 2027.

If you are a dancer interested in taking part, we recommend keeping an eye on this page and following our social media channels so you don't miss the announcement when registration opens.

Whether you are returning to BIBF or joining us for the first time, we look forward to welcoming dancers who are passionate about developing their technique, artistry and performance experience.

REGISTRATION FOR BIBF 2027

Opening around April/May 2027

Follow us on our Instagram account @belfastballetfestival for updates!

Become Part of High Points Youth Ballet

Don't Want to Wait Until BIBF Registration Opens?

If you would like to become part of the High Points Youth Ballet community, you can audition for HPYB and join our year-round training programme.

HPYB provides high-level ballet and contemporary training for dedicated young dancers aged 7–22, alongside performance opportunities, repertoire, competitions, festivals and professional development.

Being part of HPYB can provide dancers with opportunities to train and perform throughout the year, including opportunities connected with the Belfast International Ballet Festival.

AUDITION FOR HPYB

Find out more about our training, audition process and how you can become part of High Points Youth Ballet on our Audition page.

BIBF and HPYB Summer Intensive 2027

The Festival Will Return

The HPYB Summer Intensive and Belfast International Ballet Festival will return in summer 2027, bringing another exciting programme of ballet training, performance and artistic opportunities to Belfast.

While the exact dates and programme have not yet been announced, you can expect the festival to take place around the same time of year.

The festival will once again culminate in three spectacular performances, bringing together young dancers and professional artists on stage and celebrating the talent, dedication and artistry of the ballet community.

We are already working towards the next edition and look forward to sharing more details with you soon.

Stay tuned for BIBF and HPYB SI 2027 announcements.

Want to Take Part in BIBF 2027?

Why the Festival Matters

The Belfast International Ballet Festival is more than a series of performances.

It provides young dancers with opportunities to train with internationally respected teachers, perform in professional theatre settings, collaborate with artists from different countries and gain experiences that help prepare them for vocational training and future careers in dance.

The festival also strengthens Northern Ireland's ballet community by creating opportunities for audiences, artists, schools, companies and supporters to come together and celebrate the art of ballet.

Stay Connected

Follow us on Instagram for the latest festival announcements, guest artist information, registration updates, behind-the-scenes content and ticket release dates.

Instagram:@belfastballetfestival

We look forward to welcoming dancers, audiences, supporters and ballet lovers from across Northern Ireland and beyond to Belfast International Ballet Festival 2026.

We’ll See You in 2027

The Belfast International Ballet Festival continues to grow each year, bringing together dancers and artists to train, perform, connect and be inspired.

The 2026 festival may be over, but the journey continues.

BIBF 2027 is coming.

Stay tuned, start preparing and join us for the next chapter of ballet in Belfast.