Outburst is Belfast’s festival of queer arts, building artistic networks and exploring what LGBTQIA+ culture means around the world. Since 2006, Outburst has grown from a small community event in Belfast, Northern Ireland to a celebrated festival of local and international queer arts, culture and ideas.
Each year, the British Council supports Outburst to invite international delegates to the festival and to programme international artists, resulting in new connections, projects and ways of working. Through this partnership, Outburst has worked with hundreds of artists, producers and writers in over 30 countries across four continents. This year’s festival ran from 14–22 November 2025.
Ireland Delegate
This year, British Council Ireland supported Ireland delegate Renn Miano – anti-disciplinary artist, producer and writer – to attend the Outburst Queer Arts Festival.
Renn joined other international artists at the Queer Arts Development Network gathering at Outburst and took part in the international delegation with artists from countries including France, India, Turkey, Lebanon, Poland, Greece, Romania and the UK.
The delegation engaged in a variety of activities including a closed session for delegates and local invited guests/artists to share introductions and ideas. This international network has been developed over the past ten years by Outburst and the British Council, and aims to support queer artists, producers and programmers to explore what ‘queer’ means to LGBTQIA+ artists and audiences around the world.
About Renn Miano
Renn Miano is a versatile DJ, writer, photographer, archivist and anti-disciplinary artist based in Ireland. As the founder of a Black Queer community collective Origins Eile (OE) and CO-OP label DIAxDEM, Miano curates cultural projects that celebrate Black Queer People and people of colour. OE focuses on creating visibility and support networks for emerging artists, emphasising inclusivity and community.
With over a decade of experience, Miano is known for their outspoken, resourceful and empathetic approach to community work through the arts. Their dedication to uplifting marginalised voices has earned them accolades such as the *Law Praeses Elit Award (2020) and the Arts Participation Award (2023). Recognised by the Irish Times as one to watch in 2018, Miano continues to impact the arts and culture scene significantly.
Miano’s work is a testament to their commitment to fostering a more inclusive and supportive environment for all artists.
For more information and the full programme, visit the Outburst Festival website.