21-23 AUG 2026 - 2CIFF
The Venue
Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire
Milton Keynes
We have selected to work with The Gallery MK and the Sky Room Cinema for the 2026 2CIFF, and long may the partnership continue. The venue is amazing and well suited to host 2CIFF.
Located in the city centre in what is called the theatre district it is perfectly placed to host what will be a summer highlight for Milton Keynes.
Milton Keynes
Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes is a city that perfectly balances innovation with green living. Renowned for its unique grid road system and iconic concrete cows, it has grown into a thriving hub of culture, business, and creativity. The city boasts over 5,000 acres of parkland, lakes, and woodland, making it one of the greenest urban areas in the UK. Fro
Milton Keynes is a city that perfectly balances innovation with green living. Renowned for its unique grid road system and iconic concrete cows, it has grown into a thriving hub of culture, business, and creativity. The city boasts over 5,000 acres of parkland, lakes, and woodland, making it one of the greenest urban areas in the UK. From world-class venues like MK Theatre and Stadium MK, to cultural gems like MK Gallery and Bletchley Park, there’s something for everyone. With excellent transport links, a diverse community, and bold architectural vision, Milton Keynes continues to shine as a modern, vibrant destination.
Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire
Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire
Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire
We are building a festival which will celebrate the amazing talent from both counties and the aim is to expand and run a sister festival choosing an amazing venue in Bedfordshire.
We have secured the Buckinghamshire venue and this is now confirmed for 21-23 Aug 2026
( MK GALLERY).
However Milton Keynes is perfectly placed for the 2 countie
We are building a festival which will celebrate the amazing talent from both counties and the aim is to expand and run a sister festival choosing an amazing venue in Bedfordshire.
We have secured the Buckinghamshire venue and this is now confirmed for 21-23 Aug 2026
( MK GALLERY).
However Milton Keynes is perfectly placed for the 2 counties as the border is only a stones throw away and many areas in Bedfordshire share a MK postcode
Welcome to 2CIFF
MK GALLERY
MK Gallery brings world-class exhibitions and events together with pioneering learning and community programmes to Milton Keynes.
An independent café and shop, cinema from Curzon, and spectacular views over Campbell Park feature in this expanded building, which launched in 2019.
Three major exhibitions are presented each year across five elegant and spacious galleries, from thematic group exhibitions to in-depth solo presentations. Alongside our exhibitions, we offer workshops, talks and conferences, mixing emerging and locally based talent with established names. We also deliver a weekly film programme featuring the best of independent cinema in partnership with Curzon. We offer schools and family activities throughout the year and our artist-designed play area is open 365 days a year.
MK Gallery works with partners locally, nationally and internationally to bring the best cultural activities into the region. The Gallery is part of the Arts Council’s National Portfolio and a member of the Plus Tate network.
Since opening in 1999, MK Gallery has developed a reputation as one of the UK’s leading public art galleries, commissioning and presenting British and international contemporary art.
Programming multiple major exhibitions a year, MK Gallery is the only contemporary visual arts organisation within a 40-mile radius that commissions and showcases innovative and high-quality international contemporary and modern art.
The Gallery has an outstanding track record of presenting critically acclaimed and high-quality exhibitions, including shows by Archigram, Michael Craig-Martin, Jeremy Deller, Nasreen Mohamedi, Piranesi and Andy Warhol. Its international partnerships provide a connection between Milton Keynes and the wider world, channelling ambitious ideas and artistic excellence into the region.
Since reopening in 2019 after a major renovation and expansion, MK Gallery has been described as ‘an architectural gem’ in The Telegraph, ‘a dream made real’ in The Financial Times, and ‘utterly, thrillingly Milton Keynesian’ in The Guardian. Inspired by the unique history of this utopian New Town, the building was designed by 6a architects, with artists Gareth Jones and Nils Norman.
SKY ROOM CINEMA
The Sky Room Cinema at MK Gallery, Milton Keynes, stands out as a jewel among local arts venues — a space where architecture, technology, and community intertwine in superb fashion. Nestled in the MK Gallery extension on Midsummer Boulevard, the Sky Room benefits from remarkable design by 6a architects, with acoustics expertly handled by Farrat.
One of its most striking features is the architecturally-unique crescent window, offering sweeping views over Campbell Park — natural light by day, dramatic silhouettes by dusk.
When it comes to cinema, Sky Room delivers. The venue is home to the Gallery’s independent cinema, featuring a full-size retractable screen that can be concealed in just over a minute, cutting-edge sound options including lapel, static, and roving microphones, plus staging and lecterns to ensure every screening or lecture is professional and engaging.
Altogether, the Sky Room Cinema isn’t just a place to watch films — it’s a versatile cultural hub, combining style, function and a strong sense of place.
EVERYTHING ELSE
As well as the amazing Cinema and the gallery space, the venue has a café which will be open throughout the festival, inside and outside seating, a grassed area for relaxing, the plaza area will have entertainment activities, we will have a second screening area, licenced bars and food service outlets. The gallery has a shop and of course if you wish to mix it up you can separately purchase tickets to go to which ever amazing exhibition is on at the time.
In the theatre district itself there are many bars, restaurants, clubs and things to do. The shopping centre is but a minutes walk from the venue.
There are plenty of hotels and airBnb in Central Milton Keynes and the train and bus links are on the doorstep, there is literally no excuses not to enter and attend the festival.