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Longlists Announced for NI Music Prize 2025

The longlists for this yearโ€™s Northern Ireland Music Prize are now live. Recognised as the biggest night in the NI music calendar, the Prize returns once again to the iconic Ulster Hall on Wednesday, 12th November as part of the Sound of Belfast festival. As ever, the big prize is the Best Album award. Among … Continued

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Starr Records Launches Radio Starr, Makes Call For Contributors

Starr Records, one of Belfastโ€™s most iconic record shops, has announced the launch of its own station, Radio Starr, set to go live this November as part of the Sound of Belfast programme. The new platform will celebrate and amplify Belfastโ€™s creativity in the run-up to the Northern Ireland Music Prize. Radio Starr will feature … Continued

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Soft Gut Song Camp Set to Return

The penultimate Soft Gut Song Camp of 2025 is fast approaching, and with only a few spaces left, nowโ€™s the time to apply. Sponsored by IMRO, the camp takes place at the renowned Analogue Catalogue Residential Recording Studios in Rathfriland, a space that has welcomed artists including Lankum, King Creosote and Duke Special. Over several … Continued

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Conversations: Charlene Hegarty

Few people have shaped – and safeguarded – Northern Irelandโ€™s music community quite like Charlene Hegarty. From her years at the Oh Yeah Centre, where she helped establish Scratch My Progress, Womenโ€™s Work and Sound of Belfast, to her work as a manager, label boss and festival co-ordinator, she has long been a force for … Continued

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Output Belfast Announce Evening Showcases

On Thursday, 25th September, venues across the Cathedral Quarter will host the evening showcase element of Output Belfast 2025. Organised in partnership with The Thin Air, IMRO, Faction, Girls With Guts, Soultrane, Under The Drum, PRS and others, the showcases will – as with previous years – present a broad cross-section of new and emerging … Continued

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Output 2025 Artist Call Out: Emerging Talent Applications Now Open

Output Belfast, Irelandโ€™s biggest one-day music conference, returns to the Cathedral Quarter on Thursday 25 September – and applications are now open for its annual Emerging Talent Showcase. One artist or band will be selected to perform on the bill, joining a citywide celebration of the best in new Irish music. To be eligible, applicants … Continued

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New Alliance Formed Between NI, Scottish and Welsh Music Prizes

The Northern Ireland Music Prize, alongside the Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award and the Welsh Music Prize, has come together to launch the National Music Prize Network (NMPN), a new collaborative initiative that will support artists, promote cultural exchange and amplify the impact of each individual prize. Established in partnership by the Oh … Continued

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Output Belfast Returns with Its Most Ambitious Edition Yet

On Thursday 25th September, Belfastโ€™s Cathedral Quarter will once again be transformed into the beating heart of Irelandโ€™s music industry. Output Belfast, the countryโ€™s largest one-day music conference, is set to return for 2025 with its boldest, most wide-reaching programme to date. As ever, it remains entirely free to attend. Now a firm fixture on … Continued

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The Ivors Academy Launches Free Discovery Membership for Songwriters and Composers

Songwriters and composers across the UK, including NI, now have the chance to connect with one of the UKโ€™s leading music creator organisations – completely free of charge. The Ivors Academy, the independent professional association for music creators, has introduced a new Discovery membership tier aimed at empowering emerging and early-career songwriters and composers. Open … Continued

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