XTRAX partners annually with SIRF, one of the UK’s leading outdoor arts festivals, and a vital platform for international exchange and creative collaboration.
SIRF 2026: Full Artistic Programme Online
XTRAX in partnership with SIRF, OutdoorArtsUK and Without Walls present a professional showcase and networking programme alongside the festival, held at ARC Stockton Arts Centre, UK.
FREE: Register NOW to attend SIRF 2026
XTRAX Professional International Programme at SIRF 2026
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PLUS: XTRAX Exchange: LIVE Online Networking Pre-SIRF 2026
Register to join XTRAX Exchange Live on Zoom on 23 July 2026 09:30-10:30 BST
Everyone is welcome to attend this online session, whether or not you are attending the professional programme at SIRF 2026. Hear about the festival, the professional programme and network online with delegates from across the world.
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At SIRF 2026, from 31 July to 2 August 2026, we’re already welcoming delegates from across the UK, France, Germany, Belgium, Australia, Taiwan, Japan and Hong Kong – and more daily – we’d love you to join us.
Friday 31 July 2026 | 2:30 – 4:30pm: The Engine Room: Tees Valley Spotlight
Presented by Tees Valley Combined Authority’s The Engine Room, this session brings together artists, producers, and cultural leaders from across the Tees Valley to share how local talent development, festival programming, and regional investment are creating pathways to international stages.
Hear directly from a new generation of Tees Valley creatives and join Heather Walker (Creative Place Programmes Manager, TVCA) and other UK and international voices for a panel discussion, From Local Roots to Global Reach. The session will explore what it takes for artists rooted in place to build genuine international careers. The ambition, strategy and partnerships that make touring possible, without losing the sense of place that shapes the work.
The Engine Room is a transformative programme designed to position Tees Valley as a nationally recognised hub for creative production and export. It aims to grow the region’s cultural economy by investing in talent, infrastructure, and business support, while fostering inclusion, sustainability, and strategic alignment with the Tees Valley Investment Zone. The Engine Room is being delivered in partnership with key cultural organisations including ARC, Stockton Arts Centre, MIMA, New Writing North and Creative Factory through investment from Arts Council England, Tees Valley Combined and UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
- Grow the creative sector and build resilience in the creative economy
- Raise the profile of the Tees Valley as a hub of creative production.
- Build skills and capacity across all career stages
- Strengthen infrastructure by acquiring and refurbishing creative spaces and piloting a Creative Land Trust model across Tees Valley.
- Support entrepreneurship through a new Creative Agency and a Creative Export Loan Scheme.
- Promote inclusion and sustainability in all aspects of delivery.
Sat 1 Aug 2026 | 10:00 – 12:00: Culture, Identity & Belonging in the Streets.
Presented in partnership with OutdoorArtsUK. International panel discussion chaired by Dr Beatriz Garcia, panellists include:
As public spaces become increasingly shaped by politics, identity and competing claims of belonging, this panel explores how outdoor arts can foster inclusion, empathy and shared ownership of space. Drawing on perspectives from the UK, Europe and Asia, speakers will examine the challenges facing the sector and ask what role outdoor arts can play in a world marked by deepening division.
Sunday 2 August 2026 | 10:00 – 12:00: XTRAX Shorts: Artists Pitch Sessions
Presented in partnership with Without Walls. UK and international artists will pitch new work that has been developed and is ready for touring.
XTRAX Shorts is a strand of showcasing developed by XTRAX, designed to complement our showcase programme by providing an opportunity for artists to give a presentation to an audience of promoters and street arts professionals about new or recent outdoor projects.
Featuring
- Geraldine Pilgrim Performance Company: Chair!
- Inviktus and Symoné: A Place Between Mass & Echoes
- Nikki Charlesworth Productions: When I Grow Up, I Want to be a…
- Blaze Tarsha: Balance
- Jennifer Essex: Flock
- Kevin Turner, Company Chameleon: The Ultimate Players Handbook
- Jim Parris, Nzi Dada: The Divination Palace
- Sophia Chang: FOCASA Festival & the Taiwanese scene
- Yi Cian: Hualien Performing Public Space Festival Taiwan
- Kazuki Sugai: Strange Seed Shizuoka & the Japanese scene
- And more…
In 2026, we offer even more opportunities for networking, knowledge exchange, and discovering ambitious new work. Including:
- 40 leading UK and International street arts, circus, dance, music, installations and interactive projects
- 7 new Without Walls commissions
- Artist pitches in association with Without Walls
- International producer presentations exploring opportunities in Taiwan and Japan
- Spotlight on artists from Tees Valley and North East England
- International artists from France, Catalonia, Netherlands, Australia, Ireland and across the UK
- Opening and closing shows
- Extensive professional networking programme
- Plus, even more to be announced.
With participation from Australia, Taiwan, France, Spain, Japan and across the UK, the SIRF 2026 programme offers a genuinely global platform for festival programmers, producers, and arts organisations to connect with one another and identify opportunities for international touring and co-production.
Whether you are looking to programme new work, connect with industry colleagues, or simply immerse yourself in future-shaping conversations, join us in Stockton, UK!
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Register to join XTRAX Exchange Live on Zoom on 23 July 2026 09:30-10:30 BST
Everyone is welcome to attend this online session, whether or not you are attending the professional programme at SIRF 2026. Hear about the festival, the professional programme and network online with delegates from across the world.
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A look back at SIRF 2025
Short Film: XTRAX International Exchange at SIRF 2025
I loved the diversity and quality of the program, as well as the vibe of the festival. I was also impressed by how much local people are involved. There were so many opportunities for spontaneous moments and interaction between the audience and the artists — without it ever feeling forced. I also had the pleasure of meeting many inspiring people, and I am grateful for all the connections made. – Maartje de Boer, Rapunzel Festival, Netherlands, SIRF 2025.
Looking back: SIRF 2025 programme of events
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Information for International Presenters in 2026: Edinburgh Festival runs from 7 – 31 August 2026. Why not attend SIRF before traveling to Edinburgh which is 2h.40minutes by train from Stockton (Thornaby station).
Travelling to Stockton-on-Tees, UK.
By Train: The nearest train station to get to the ARC and Festival events is Thornaby, or you can go to Stockton Station. Stockton On Tees (Thornaby Station) is 2h 30min by train from Edinburgh if you are visiting for Edinburgh Festival, and 3 hours by train from London Kings Cross and connections to Eurostar. There are direct trains to Thornaby from Manchester Airport (2h 43min) https://www.thetrainline.com
By Air: The nearest airport is Teesside International Airport in Durham, with flights connecting to Ireland, Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands. The airport is only a 10-minutes train ride away from Stockton-on-Tees city centre. Manchester airport is also well connected to Stockton-on-Tees, with frequent direct trains running from the airport to Thornaby station in just under 3h. Newcastle Airport is 1.5 hours from Thornaby or Middlesbrough stations by train. If you would like further advice on travelling to Stockton-on-Tees, please do not hesitate to contact info@xtrax.org.uk or go to www.rome2rio.com for advice on your itinerary.
Accommodation suggestions for 2026
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Premier Inn hotels at Stockton on Tees (Preston Farm) and Stockton on Tees (Teeside).
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Premier Inn in Middlesbrough Town Centre which is a short taxi ride or a 5 minute train journey from Thornaby Station
Reminder to apply for an ETA
An ETA is a digital permission to travel. It authorises a person to travel to the UK – it is not a visa and does not guarantee entry to the UK. You can find more information on crossing the border via gov.uk.
- Visitors are advised to apply for an ETA before booking their travel to the UK. Visitors are also advised to allow three working days for a decision on their application. This is to take account of the small number of cases that may need further review.
- An ETA currently costs £10 and permits multiple journeys to the UK for stays of up to six months at a time over two years or until the holder’s passport expires, whichever is sooner.
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Access
The professional programme is held in Stockton ARC which has lift access to all floors and seating access for wheelchair users. There will be a designated quiet space and the programme will be captioned. We are committed to ensuring the programme is as accessible as possible. Please fill out the registration form with any access requirements by 10 July 2026. Should you miss this deadline, please email rebecca@xtrax.org.uk so we can see how we can best support.
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Image credit: Euforia, el origen photo by Ovidiu Matiu
