Newport Live Act Fringe festival returns for second year

A grassroots performance festival will return next month, bringing more than 30 acts to independent venues across Newport city centre.

The Newport Live Act Fringe will take place from 20–22 March 2026, transforming venues across Newport into hubs for comedy, theatre, music, circus, drag, spoken word and immersive performance.

Now in its second year, the festival is produced by Tin Shed Theatre Co. and will be staged across six venues: The Cellar Door, The Place, The Cab, The Murenger, Le Pub and Arcadia. Organisers say the aim is to spotlight bold, experimental and work-in-progress performances while celebrating the role independent spaces play in the city’s cultural life.

This year’s programme features 33 performances, with artists travelling from across Wales, the UK and as far afield as New York. Events range from intimate one-woman theatre pieces and political satire to puppet shows, craftivist workshops and large-scale outdoor arts.

Creative Director George Harris said the response from artists had been overwhelming.

“The programme this year is looking incredible with performers coming from as far as New York,” he said. “Over the weekend, audiences will be able to see a total of 33 different performances. We hope local audiences will come along and support because we are sure there is something for everyone.”

Outdoor events

Highlights include Good Grief, a surreal comedy-drama exploring death and friendship; Vote Conform, a satirical cabaret performance set in a chaotic political world; and Street Art Opera, which will project animated opera works onto city buildings using silent disco headphones.

Outdoor and participatory events will also feature prominently. If Walls Could Talk, created in partnership with Past Port Tours, offers an immersive walking tour through the city’s historic streets, while Port Vibrations, a youth-led sound installation, invites audiences to experience evolving soundscapes through headphones.

Live music from local and touring artists, drag performances, clown theatre and physical theatre pieces will run throughout the weekend, alongside family-friendly daytime programming and late-night adult shows.

A defining feature of the festival is its artist-first model. Organisers say 100% of wristband proceeds are returned directly to performers, helping to sustain independent artists while keeping ticket prices accessible.

Full programme details and tickets are available through Tin Shed Theatre Company’s website and via the festival’s social media channels.