EARLY 2026 PROGRAMME OPEN CALL
In 2026, Bloomsbury Festival is planning a month-long festival from 1-31 October, to celebrate the festival’s 20th anniversary and to link with UCL’s Bicentenary marking 200 years since UCL’s establishment as the first University in London. We invite you to submit plans for your own events, exhibitions and activities for 2026 to be considered for inclusion in the festival. We welcome ‘Partner Event’ applications from current and new creative partners.
We are opening applications early for 2026. This allows applicants with large scale plans time to raise their own funds and grants from other sources, but all proposals are welcome at this stage.
We will be hosting another Call Out for the 2026 programme from 2 Feb – 16 March 2026.
We aim to programme around 100 creative events and exhibitions of which the majority will be ‘Partner Events’ – events you propose. These showcase the cultural offer of Bloomsbury from many disciplines and from all parts of our unique inner-city community, including from residents, creatives and institutions. Please note proposed festival events should have some connection with Bloomsbury or the surrounding area.
2026 Theme: Create and Celebrate
In 2026 we invite new and existing partners to Create and Celebrate with us to mark 20 years of Bloomsbury Festival. 2026 is also the Bicentenary of UCL – and is being celebrated through the UCL200 Programme. If your proposal connects with UCL200 please note this in your proposal submission. We hope you will feel inspired by this theme and we welcome broad interpretations of Create and Celebrate.
Call Out Information and Applications
> Please download and read the detailed call out information (pdf)
> Applications should be made via this google form by 4 July. The application questions are also available here as a pdf, but are for reference only – applications must be submitted via the google form
> If you have any problems with the form please email admin@bloomsburyfestival.org.
Deadlines and timescales
> Tues 20 May – Partners Online Meeting , 6pm – 7pm on Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/5913447244
> Tues 27 May – Partners In Person Meeting – 4.30pm – 6.30pm at Holborn Library Mezzanine
> Applications to be submitted by 6pm, Fri 4 July
> If you are planning to propose an event, exhibit, talk, walk, or activity that does not require a fundraising/development phase we will be hosting another Call Out for the 2026 programme from 2 Feb – 16 March 2026
> Further discussion will take place with the festival team during July – September
> April 2026 – Final programme decisions are made by the team
> End May 2026 – deadline for completed Marketing Information form
> Early June 2026 – Partner agreements issued