Citizens Theatre announces Associate Companies and Artists programme plus new shows for 2026
The Citizens Theatre has announced a new initiative to support and collaborate with artists and theatre companies, alongside more productions in its reopening year.
Article Source: Citizens Theatre
Last Updated: 6 November 2025 10:23
Image Credit: Alasdair Watson
The theatre is launching its Associate Companies and Artists programme – a strand of activity that will offer space, resources, and expertise to nurture creativity, expand collaboration, and strengthen connections across Scotland’s arts community.
Designed to bring new voices, audiences, and perspectives into the building, the programme will broaden the reach and make-up of the theatre’s work while providing valuable learning opportunities for artists keen to understand how a producing theatre operates.
The first companies to join the programme are Bijli and Wonder Fools, with Joanna Bowman announced as the inaugural Associate Artist.
Bijli, led by Mariem Omari and Shilpa T Hyland, creates work that celebrates diversity across cultures and art forms for communities in Scotland and the UK. Known for its commitment to new writing, Bijli will deliver a series of masterclasses for Global Majority artists titled Threads. This will include hosting a monthly drop-in café in the Citizens Theatre and bringing their new production Revolutionary Days—the true story of a Scottish aid worker during the Arab Spring—to the Studio Theatre in late Spring 2026.
Mariem Omari and Shilpa T Hyland said: “Bijli Productions are delighted to come on board as an Associate Company at the Citizens Theatre. The reopening of the theatre is such an exciting moment for Glasgow. Bijli firmly believes in the power of stories to connect people, to fight for a world which celebrates diverse experience, and to help us all be kind but critical thinkers. We are proud to be able to work with the Citizens Theatre to continue our work of championing and creating space for Global Majority voices.”
Wonder Fools, led by Jack Nurse and Robbie Gordon, creates ambitious theatre with and for young people and communities. Fresh from their production Òran performed in the Studio Theatre in October 2025, the company will also present scratch nights and collaborate on a new play by Uma Nada-Rajan, inspired by Brecht’s Fear and Misery of the Third Reich. Jack Nurse previously worked at the Citz as an Assistant Director in 2016/17.
Jack Nurse and Robbie Gordon said: “We’re thrilled to become an Associate Company at the Citizens Theatre - a building that’s played a huge part in our story. Our early shows were staged in the old Circle Studio, and some of our most formative years were spent working together within those walls. Jack also began his directing journey here, assisting on several productions. Returning with Òran to the new Studio Theatre was a real buzz, and to now be an Associate Company at such a significant moment in the Citz’s reopening is a genuine honour.”
Joanna Bowman, who was previously at the Citizens Theatre as a Birkbeck Trainee Director in 2018/19, has since directed at Chichester Festival Theatre, Dundee Rep and the RSC, and won the 2024 CATS Award for Best Director. At the Citz, she will co-direct this year’s Christmas production Beauty and the Beast and also direct a new production of Sweat by Lynn Nottage in 2026, a co-production with Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh. Her role as Associate Artist will allow her to deepen her understanding of how a producing theatre operates and the role of Artistic Director.
Joanna Bowman said: “I am delighted to be joining the team at the Citz at this key moment in the theatre’s history. The Citz is where I began my career as an assistant director, and to be returning as an Associate Artist is a joy. I am delighted to be doing so alongside Wonder Fools and Bijli. I cannot wait to contribute to and build on the work that is already taking place at the Citz both on and off the stage.”
Dominic Hill, Artistic Director of the Citizens Theatre, said: “We’re excited to be launching our Associate Companies and Artists programme as part of a new chapter for the Citizens Theatre. Our aim is to open up the building, share our resources and expertise, and create genuine partnerships that will help artists and companies flourish. Bijli, Wonder Fools, and Joanna Bowman each bring distinctive voices and artistic ambitions that resonate deeply with what the Citz stands for – creativity, community, and collaboration. We’re excited to see how these relationships evolve and what new work will grow from them.”
Reflecting the theatre’s values, this initiative marks a major step in the Citizens Theatre’s commitment to investing in artists and companies whose work enriches the cultural fabric of Scotland.
New Spring 2026 shows
In addition to the Associate Companies and Artists programme, the Citizens Theatre has announced new shows for its January–June 2026 season — both Main Stage and Studio Theatre. Joining productions already on sale, including Waiting for Godot starring Matthew Kelly and George Costigan, Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Sweat, and Linda McLean’s adaptation of Denise Mina’s The Long Drop, this programme showcases bold, imaginative work from visiting companies and artists, particularly for newly opened Studio Theatre.
On the Main Stage, I, Daniel Blake – adapted by Dave Johns from the acclaimed film by Ken Loach and Paul Laverty – will be remounted following a hugely successful stage premiere last year. A powerful exploration of dignity and solidarity in the face of hardship, the production shines a light on the realities of poverty and resilience in the UK today. This is a Northern Stage production in association with Leeds Playhouse.
In the Studio Theatre, audiences can look forward to a diverse mix of visiting productions, including:
• Vanishing Point Winter Residency (26 Jan – 08 Feb) – a two-week residency, bringing together an exciting programme of performances, works-in-progress and discussion events that champion internationalism, artistic experimentation and audience connection. Highlights include Size Matters by Mamoru Iriguchi – a playful, mind-bending exploration of time and perception; Mistero Buffo by Franca Rame and Dario Fo – a razor-sharp, political solo performance reimagined for a Scottish audience; and Last Orders, an hour of stand-up comedy from rising star Alana Jackson.
• The Bacchae by Company of Wolves (02–08 Mar) – a solo retelling of the myth of Dionysos, written and performed by Ewan Downie.
• Grain of Sand by Good Chance (13-14 Mar). Adapted from A Million Kites: Testimonies and Poems from the Children of Gaza by Leila Boukarim and Asaf Luzon.
• Flight by Vox Motus (March) – an internationally acclaimed immersive production returning to Glasgow in an exclusive presentation.
• Night Waking by An Tobar and Mull Theatre (11–17 May) – a haunting one-woman adaptation of Sarah Moss’s novel about motherhood, colonialism, and the ghosts we inherit.
The theatre will also host a number of major festivals and events including Celtic Connections (19–31 January) – featuring Òran Ùr, Blazin’ Fiddles, Alice Faye & Special Guests, and India Alba – and the Glasgow International Comedy Festival (16–29 March), welcoming Mark Simmons, Kim Blythe, Mike Wozniak, and Des Clarke. With more acts to be announced.
The Citizens Theatre’s Heritage and Homecoming programme will also offer a host of hands-on, creative experiences for audiences of all ages. Take a journey through the building on Heritage Tours, discovering hidden corners, restored features, and behind-the-scenes glimpses into theatre-making past and present. Little ones and their grown-ups can join Storytime Play for interactive storytelling, songs, and imaginative play, while Up Stage invites participants to transform retired costumes and textiles into unique, handcrafted creations. For those inspired by theatre design, Power of Costume offers a collage-making workshop led by designer Jessica Worrall, exploring how costume shapes identity and society. Each session is a chance to connect, create, and experience the Citz in new and playful ways.
With its newly redeveloped building now open and a packed programme ahead, the Citizens Theatre is reaffirming its role as a creative home for artists, audiences, and communities alike – a space where powerful stories are told, new talent is nurtured, and collaboration lies at the heart of everything it does.
Presale for members begins Wednesday 12 November with general on sale for all shows and events from Wednesday 19 November.
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