The Dublin Gay Theatre Festival is returning to city venues from next month.

It will house 21 plays over two weeks across five city centre stages.

Running from May 6th until the 19th, the plays from Ireland, UK, USA, Canada, South Africa and Australia will have LGBT+ themes.

Artistic director Brian Merriman said: "New writing continues to dominate the selection process which also included visiting 50 productions at the Edinburgh Fringe.

"I am delighted that South Africa and Australian LGBT+ theatre return with new companies this year, and acknowledge the great efforts these companies make to showcase their work at the world's biggest Gay Theatre event in Dublin".

"This opportunity to share stages and network internationally within this theatrical genre is hugely important for all writers and artists and has sustained us for our 16th year".

This year's festival is also seeing increased support from bodies such as The Arts Council and Dublin City Council.

On this, Mr Merriman said it will "help us build mainstream audiences for such an innovative programme of work, as we meet the challenges to let audiences know that everyone is welcome at our festival".

The 2019 festival includes pieces such as 'The Baby Monitor', which explores the challenges and bias associated with same-sex parenting, and 'A Southern Fairytale/The Number' - two short plays based on true events, of a gay Christian growing up in the US Deep South.

While 'Party Boy' is based on a true story of Ireland's first international gay go-go dancer.

The festival was founded in 2004 to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of Oscar Wilde, in his native city.

It has since grown to become the largest event of its type in the world.

Full programme details can be found here