Introducing our new Associates - plus new shows for 2026

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, calledThreads. 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. 

Wonder Fools, led by Jack Nurse and Robbie Gordon, create ambitious theatre with and for young people and communities. Following their 2025 production of Òran in our Studio Theatre, they’ll host a series of scratch nights and collaborate on a new play by Uma Nada-Rajan, inspired by Brecht’s Fear and Misery of the Third Reich.

We’re also welcoming director Joanna Bowman as our inaugural Associate Artist. Joanna, 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. 

Alongside this new programme, we’re delighted to announce some new additions to our January–June 2026 season — a bold mix of productions in our Main Theatre and Studio.

On our Main Stage, I, Daniel Blake — adapted by Dave Johns from the acclaimed film by Ken Loach and Paul Laverty — will visit the Citz following a hugely successful stage premiere last year. This Northern Stage production, in association with Leeds Playhouse, is a moving and timely exploration of dignity and solidarity in the face of hardship.

In our Studio Theatre, audiences can look forward to:

• 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 (2–8 Mar) – a visceral solo retelling of the myth of Dionysos by Ewan Downie.

• A Grain of Sand by Good Chance (13-14 Mar) – a one-woman show that blends Palestinian folklore with real-life testimonies from children in contemporary Gaza by Elias Matar.

• Flight by Vox Motus (21 March – 4 April) – an internationally acclaimed immersive experience returning exclusively to Glasgow.

• 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 memory.

We’ll also be part of two of Glasgow’s biggest festivals — 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, Mike Wozniak, Kim Blythe, and Des Clarke. With more acts still to be announced.

In addition, our Heritage and Homecoming programme, will continue to offer creative opportunities for all ages to explore and respond to the heritage of the Citizens Theatre and its work.

Join us for Heritage Tours and discover the hidden stories of our building, or take part in hands-on workshops like Power of Costume with designer Jessica Worrall. Families can enjoy Storytime Play sessions full of songs and imagination, while Up Stage invites participants to transform retired costumes and textiles into something new.