THEYFRIEND
NONBINARY PERFORMANCE FESTIVAL
NOV. 12-14, 2026
SAN FRANCISCO + ONLINE!
ARTIST APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN!
DUE JULY 17
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ARTIST APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN! DUE JULY 17 〰️
A joyful, community-powered festival celebrating the creativity, brilliance, & expansive possibilities of nonbinary performance.
Each year, we bring artists & audiences together for a weekend of performance, connection, and collective celebration. We’re creating space for nonbinary people and people of all gender expressions to gather, play, imagine, and belong. Whether you're a performer, artist, community member, or gender-curious supporter, we invite you to join us as we celebrate six years of nonbinary creativity, resilience, and cultural power at THEYFRIEND!
Ticket information coming soon!
ARTIST APPLICATIONS
Are you a nonbinary performer, host, workshop facilitator, DJ, or video artist? Apply to join our 2026 Festival!
Selected artists will receive a stipend & join a vibrant cohort of nonbinary creatives helping shape this year's festival experience.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: July 17, 2026, at 11:59 PM PST
Need help with your application?
We’ve got you covered– we’ve created some tools to help you prepare and submit your application. Use whichever are the most helpful for you!
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Learn about eligibility, compensation, accessibility, and festival expectations.
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Find answers to common questions about the application and festival.
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Watch our recorded workshop with tips from the curatorial team.
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Draft your responses before completing the online application.
THEYFRIEND is a time for us to utilize spectacle, connectivity, and radical joy to play, experiment, and reclaim parts of ourselves that traditional gender norms have forced us to suppress or eject.
– Curators Rawiyah Tariq & Vin Seaman
The 2026 THEYFRIEND Nonbinary Performance Festival is presented by Diamond Wave, a fiscally sponsored project of Independent Arts & media. We are currently seeking sponsors & partners for this year’s festival.
THEYFRIEND Archive
THEYFRIEND began in 2020 as a virtual artist salon featuring five national nonbinary performing artists. In 2021 we established THEYFRIEND as a festival and, since then, have steadily grown to feature a breadth of Bay Area, CA-based, national, and international nonbinary performers at dynamic events in partnership with local queer organizations and arts venues. For more information about past festivals, visit our THEYFRIEND archive.
STAY CONNECTED
Additional festival programming, artist announcements, venues, volunteer opportunities, and ticket information will be announced throughout the year. Follow Diamond Wave for updates and be the first to hear about festival events, artist spotlights, and opportunities to get involved.