Silly Season 2026 EOI

Basement Theatre's Silly Season is back for 2026! This end-of-year festival runs from Tuesday 8 December to Saturday 12 December, and they're inviting artists of all stripes to be part of it.

Silly Season is an eclectic, festive programme of one-off events, new works, and performances — and your show could be one of them. Works don't need to be Christmas-themed; Basement wants to hear from everyone. Make them laugh, make them cry, bring your community along, and have fun with it.

What they're looking for:

• Shows ready to go and suited to festival-style programming
• Maximum 60 minutes in length (or book two slots for longer works)
• Dance, theatre, poetry, visual art, experimental, comedy, ballroom, club nights, performance art, music, drag, cabaret — and everything in between
• Works outside the theatres too: foyer exhibitions, DJ sets, live bands, buskers for the Slab, and installation works are all welcome
• Works led by Vital Voice communities — Tangata Whenua, POC, LGBTQIA+, immigrant communities, and Disabled people

What you'll get:

• Free venue hire for emerging and unfunded artists (Hire For Nothing!)
• The lighting and sound rig pre-set and ready to go
• An operator for your 90-minute load-in/dress and the full 90 minutes of stage access (a subsidised nightly technical fee applies — see the Hireage Details document for more info)
• Inclusion in all festival marketing: EDMs, socials, banners, and venue posters
• Marketing guidance to help you sell tickets
• Access to Basement's 18-year-strong community of artists
• Space to take risks, develop your craft, and grow your creative kete

To apply, complete the online EOI form before 11:59pm on Tuesday 25 August 2026. You'll need to include a script, story outline, vision/moodboard, or supporting video/audio material depending on your work. You can also request a face-to-face submission by emailing Selu directly.

For questions, check the Artist Handbook on Basement's website, email selu@basementtheatre.co.nz, call 09 309 7433 (Monday–Thursday, 9am–5pm), or DM @basement_makers on Instagram.