The Cultch Presents
IGNITE! Festival
May 13–17, 2026
HISTORIC THEATRE
Want the full IGNITE! experience? Our $40 Festival Pass gives you access to all five nights of the festival. It’s the best way to catch the entire lineup of emerging artists, performances, and celebrations and save over 55%!
SPECIAL EVENT
May 13–17, 2026
HISTORIC THEATRE
Produced by The Cultch Youth Panel
See individual shows below for details.
Phone:604-251-1363
Email: [email protected]
Monday to Saturday: 12–4pm
Sunday: Closed
HISTORIC THEATRE
1895 Venables St, Vancouver, BC
About
IGNITE! Festival brings a week of youth run programming to The Cultch
(Unceded Coast Salish Territories/Vancouver, BC)
The Cultch’s Youth Panel is thrilled to announce the return of the IGNITE! Youth-Driven Arts Festival. From May 13-17, 2026 The Cultch’s Historic Theatre will be home to a dynamic, multidisciplinary celebration of youth-led programming, bold new works, and innovative performances by local emerging artists.
Now in its 25th year, IGNITE! remains curated entirely by The Cultch’s Youth Panel, offering an eclectic mix of theatre, film, poetry, comedy. dance, drag, visual arts, music, and more. Featuring artists aged 13-30, as well as participants from The Cultch’s mentorship programs, IGNITE! continues to foster the next generation of creative voices.
This year’s festival grows through five thematically connected nights, from Germinate to Bloom, tracing cycles of creative growth through theatre, stand-up comedy, live music, dance, and short films. The festival will also feature an emerging artists market and merchandise on sale throughout the festival, and a call/response Art Exhibit between two visual artists, running May 12 – 31, 2026 in The Cultch’s lobby.
THE LINE-UP
GERMINATE
MAY 13, 2026 | 8:00 PM
HISTORIC THEATRE
IGNITE! 2026 opens with GERMINATE, a night dedicated to new ideas breaking through the surface!
The evening begins with the opening of the IGNITE! Visual Arts Exhibition in The Cultch lobby, featuring works by emerging artists Shivangi Singh and Carmen Toledo Bores.
The night continues in the Historic Theatre with the Telling It Bent Showcase, presented in collaboration with the frank theatre company, highlighting original works created by queer, trans, and Two Spirit youth artists from across BC.
Closing the evening, IGNITE! welcomes an Emerging Comedians Showcase featuring “Vancouver”-based comedians Kendall Clark and Erin Purghart, bringing sharp humour and bold storytelling to launch the festival’s week of creative experimentation.
Content Forecast: Possible references to queerphobia and the intersection. with race, gender, and mental health. The second part of the show may reference eating disorders and drug abuse.
RECOMPOSE
MAY 14, 2026 | 8:00 PM
HISTORIC THEATRE
RECOMPOSE explores the ways stories, memories, and identities are reshaped over time.
The evening opens with Papa’s Phở, a one-act play written and directed by Alycia Rose, follows Mai as she navigates grief, family expectations, and her own artistic ambitions after the loss of her father.
The night continues with a short film program featuring Sahana, an experimental take on lack of presence by filmmaker Nushi Sharma with nods to immigration, and Fried Fish and Plantain, directed by Paul-Daniel Torres, which follows two former lovers reconnecting after years apart during the pandemic.
Closing the evening, the Harmeet Kaur Virdee Quartet brings a vibrant live jazz performance presenting original compositions, creating a soundscape that reflects the spirit of transformation and reinvention at the heart of the night.
Content Forecast: May contain references to COVID-19, death, and suicide.
POLLINATE
MAY 15, 2026 | 8:00 PM
HISTORIC THEATRE
POLLINATE celebrates the cross-pollination of ideas, genres, and generations as artists bring their influences into conversation.
The evening begins with Baby, a tender and comedic one-person puppet show written and directed by Silken Lawson, where a wide-eyed newcomer navigates the surreal rituals of a first job interview with surprising wisdom.
The short film program features works by young emerging filmmakers, including Post-Haste, created by high school filmmakers Eila Horne, Olivia Ponton and Maggie Perreault through The Cinematheque’s Cinelab Program, and Paranormal Cat-Napping (And How To Appease Spirits) by Rylie Siraj, a playful supernatural comedy about friendship, fear, and a missing cat.
The night concludes with two dynamic musical performances: cinematic alt-R&B artist NicoLottie, whose sound draws from doo-wop girl group nostalgia and cinematic pop, followed by FCRB, a teenage progressive rock band delivering an electrifying mix of prog rock, metal, and jazz fusion with a mix of covers and original songs.
Content Forecast: TBD
ENTANGLE
MAY 16, 2026 | 8:00 PM
HISTORIC THEATRE
ENTANGLE embraces the beautifully tangled nature of creativity, where stories, bodies, and ideas intersect in unexpected ways.
The evening opens with Gooseland, a surreal short film by filmmakers Abby Ridd and Mimi Huszti, following a woman who journeys through the strange landscapes of her own mind in search of a forgotten phone call.
Our theatrical offerings continue with Regarding Old Wollemia (a tree) by Marcos Aburto, a one-act play in which two siblings are interrupted by the sound of someone stapling leaves to a tree. As they investigate the mysterious scene, a rift begins to grow.
Movement takes centre stage with MOB, a contemporary dance piece choreographed by Daisy de Kroon that explores how bodies cluster, shift, and move within social systems.
The evening concludes with the playful short film Broomance by Ethan White, followed by a vibrant jazz performance by pianist and composer Allison Louis.
Content Forecast: May contain references to Alzeimer’s, and dementia.
BLOOM
MAY 17, 2026 | 8:00 PM
HISTORIC THEATRE
BLOOM closes the festival with a vibrant celebration of rhythm, movement, and community, party style!
The evening opens with a Fiesta Sonidera and a trip to the heart of Mexico City in an iconic, interactive cumbia showcase by Salseo Queer Dance, a Latinx collective that creates spaces for connection through Afro-Latin dance.
The night continues with a dazzling Drag Showcase featuring performances by Malandro, a drag performer from Mexico City shaped by cabaret stages and underground techno nights, and Cataleya, who will bring her training in cosmetics, fashion, and dance for a show you won’t forget.
The celebration then transforms into a dance floor with DJ sets by Alyssa JB and Bottega Vanesa. Throughout the night, dancers Ysa Dias and Kachonda join the DJs on stage, building a high-energy finale that invites audiences to dance, celebrate, and send IGNITE! 2026 off in full bloom.
Content Forecast: This event is recommended for 18+.