SHIFT Symposium 2026
SHIFT is a call to collective action – a space to challenge, disrupt and reimagine how British theatre tells its national story and who gets to shape it.
Rooted in the belief that global perspectives are not optional but essential, SHIFT confronts commissioning and dramaturgical practices long shaped by a narrow, Eurocentric lens. It asks a simple but urgent question: what happens when we shift the frame?
A three-day symposium | 13-15 May 2026 | Bristol
Created by Tamasha and co-hosted with Bristol Old Vic and Beyond Face, this is a symposium that brings artists, dramaturgs, producers, literary teams and cultural leaders together for three days of bold thinking, honest interrogation and future-building.
We’ll examine how commissioning and dramaturgy currently operate in UK theatre, where power and imbalance sit and how we might actively design alternative, decolonial ways of making, supporting and sustaining work. This is not a talking shop – it’s a working space for shared inquiry, provocation and possibility. The symposium will operate on a participant-facilitator model, recognising the expertise in the room and positioning the symposium as a hub of shared learning and co-creation. Alongside attending sessions, participants are invited to opt in to contribute by hosting or co-hosting skill-sharing sessions and taking part in panels or discussions. Freelance attendees will receive a fee for this offer.
How much is a ticket?
Tickets will cost approximately £250-£300. Included in this price is:
- Full access to symposium events
- 3 nights of accommodation in a single-occupancy room with en-suite provisions
- 3 meals a day
- Refreshments throughout, including drinks receptions
- Tickets to external artistic events included as part of the programme
There is an option to request travel subsidy.
Express your interest
Help us gauge the appetite. This short form will help us understand who’s hungry for the event, what you’re currently trying to navigate in your career and who we haven’t reached yet – so we can shape the programme accordingly.
We’re inviting expressions of interest from:
- Freelance artists and writers
- Dramaturgs and literary practitioners
- Producers
- Stage and production managers
- Organisational leaders
- Anyone whose practice intersects with dramaturgy and theatre-making
We’re especially keen to bring together a rich mix of voices – across career stages, disciplines and lived experiences – to ensure the room reflects the future we’re trying to build.
Participation and access
On the form we will ask you to declare if your place will be covered by an organisation, or if you would be attending as a freelancer. Please only click that your place will be covered if you have confirmation this would be possible. This will help us budget our subsidised places for freelancers accordingly.
We want the symposium to be as accessible as possible. Please share any access requirements, adjustments, or support needs that would help you participate fully. This will not affect selection and will be treated with care and confidentiality.
If you have access requirements or questions ahead of completing this form, please contact Roann, Tamasha SHIFT Associate Producer, roann@tamasha.org.uk
Ready to SHIFT?
Express your interest and be part of shaping what comes next for British theatre.
The form will be open until 6pm on Friday 6 March and takes no more than 10 minutes to complete. And please do share with your networks!
SHIFT Symposium is created by Tamasha and co-hosted with Bristol Old Vic and Beyond Face. Funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation