Experience the world through the eyes of new creators at Delft Fringe Festival

Delft, 6 May 2026 - Enjoy the future of performing arts with personalised performances at special venues in Delft city centre.

From 27 May to 7 June, you can experience Delft Fringe Festival at more than 30 locations throughout the city, from a 17th-century windmill to the special acoustics of a historic church. 23 companies perform cabaret, dance, family theatre, kleinkunst, music and everything in between. Ten performances will premiere during the Delft Fringe Festival. Tickets are available via delftfringefestival.nl.

Makers of the future make you think

This new generation of makers aims to make audiences think and give an important message. The themes in their work often stem from very personal experiences or social necessity. This year, we see topics such as grief and friendship, motherhood, migration and identity, war suffering, beauty standards and climate reflected in the programme.

What does it mean to leave everything behind for the chance of a secure existence? In For Life, I Would Do It Again Kevin Sweep and Masoud Roshanzamir tell the true story of Masoud's flight from Iran in 2022, with live classical music and a minimalist set of two chairs and five vintage phones. Anouscha Fajdiga dives into Behind forgotten doors into the experiences of five Dutchbat III veterans, based on 171 soldiers' interviews: men caught between military orders and personal conscience. And Lilian Kafa translates in the premiere The silent killer her scientific knowledge about heat stress in cities to a dance performance that makes you feel what numbers and reports cannot. These are just a few examples from the programme; the full list can be found at delftfringefestival.co.uk

Festive festival opening

The festival opens festively on Wednesday 27 May at 7.30pm in Theatre de Veste with three high-profile performances, including from the winner of the Delft Fringe Festival Audience Award 2025: Collective Tender. In their Pretty Privilege they go in search of freedom in a world that equates appearance with value. The performance Pulling the Trigger by Daria Titova follows a soldier confronted with his own past, unable to fully face it or escape it. In East, west, home away...  Janne Groen takes you on her quest for (re)recognition of her Indian identity. An evening that immediately shows the breadth and urgency of the programme.

About Delft Fringe Festival

The Delft Fringe Festival is an annual location theatre festival that offers a stage to the latest generation of creators. For 15 years now, the festival has been bursting into life in the city just before summer. From intimate acts to taboo-breaking performances in unexpected locations such as a centuries-old mill, the council chamber or a factory. From theatre to dance, cabaret to music and everything in between.

The festival gives young talent the opportunity to experiment and gain experience, while visitors discover culture in an accessible and surprising way. The 15th edition of the Delft Fringe Festival will take place in 2026.

Context programme

There is also plenty to do in the context programme. In the Delft Insider Tours you will set off with a Fringe insider along special performances and venues. Those who prefer to explore on their own can join the Fringe Surprise Tour: discover the festival at your own pace. On Friday 30 May, there will be a drag bingo and concluding the Fringe Party at The Social Hub, Delft Fringe Festival's festival hub.