The London International Festival of Theatre (LIFT) will return to the capital from 3 June to 4 July 2027, marking a new chapter for the iconic festival under the artistic leadership of Pelin Başaran.
Presented by Battersea Arts Centre, the 2027 edition will see LIFT bring leading international artists and multidisciplinary productions from Asia, the Middle East, Australia, North and South America, and Europe to audiences across London.
The festival will combine major UK and London premieres with intimate performances and free events in public spaces, creating opportunities for audiences to encounter theatre in both familiar and unexpected settings.
Newly appointed Artistic Director Pelin Başaran has outlined a vision for a festival shaped by London’s openness, diversity and imagination, with performances responding to the questions shaping contemporary life and communities.
Başaran said: “I am so honoured to be appointed LIFT’s next Artistic Director. Many people across London have their own special LIFT memories, experiences that transformed the way they think and feel, and which have stayed with them for years. Over its history, LIFT has created unforgettable encounters by bringing extraordinary international artists to different corners of the city, expanding our understanding of what theatre can be. I feel a huge responsibility to build on that legacy, while asking what an international festival can mean for London today.
“Shaping the next chapter of LIFT is incredibly exciting. I see the festival as an opportunity for us to explore what it means to live in the world today, to engage with some of the big questions of our time and to imagine different possibilities for the future through the transformative power of performance. Before a different future can be built, it must first be imagined, and I want LIFT to offer a space where that imagining can happen.”
Alongside the international programme, LIFT has announced the launch of LIFT Off, a new showcase designed to champion contemporary performances made in England. Funded by Arts Council England, six tour-ready productions will be selected and presented during the final week of the festival.
Partners for LIFT Off include the Barbican, Southbank Centre, Royal Court Theatre, Soho Theatre, Sadler’s Wells East, Wapping Powerhouse, Unlimited, Theatre Green Book and Battersea Arts Centre.
Tarek Iskander, Artistic Director and CEO of Battersea Arts Centre, said: “Battersea Arts Centre and LIFT have always shared a belief: that live performance should be daring, ambitious, unforgettable and for everyone – and that brilliance can be found anywhere in the world. Building on LIFT’s extraordinary legacy is a natural extension of what we believe, with our capital as the largest stage there is. Pelin is the perfect person to lead the next chapter, with a wonderful set of partners alongside us. Our ambition is for LIFT to take its place among the world’s most vital cultural events.
“Personally, I’m especially excited about LIFT Off. We’ve spent years helping England’s most daring artists reach new international audiences and partners, and a new showcase in the heart of London is the perfect way to introduce tomorrow’s remarkable voices to the world.”
Founded in 1981 by Rose Fenton and Lucy Neal, LIFT has spent more than four decades bringing international performance to London. Previous productions have included The Second Woman starring Ruth Wilson, Sun & Sea, East Wall, Fly by Night, Sky Orchestra, Life Streaming and Small Metal Objects.
The full programme for LIFT 2027 will be announced in February 2027.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
