News

From 9th-20th May, the Northern Ireland Mental Health Arts Festival returns for its 11th year with a vital and timely theme: Catharsis. Defined as the release of emotions through creative expression, catharsis lies at the heart of the festival’s mission: to create space for connection, understanding and healing through the arts. Nowhere is this more … Continued

Three outstanding young musicians have been announced as the 2025 recipients of the Gradam Ceoil TG4 Traditional Music Bursary, a prestigious initiative now in its fourth year. Administered by The Duncairn Arts Centre and funded by Belfast City Council, the scheme supports excellence in traditional music and offers a significant investment in the development of … Continued

Run by Sound and Music, In the Making welcomes 50 young people from across the UK each year. Whether you work with a DAW, improvise, write for orchestra or experiment with sound, the programme is open to all musical styles and backgrounds. It’s built to help participants grow creatively, build confidence and develop their own … Continued

A new grant scheme has been launched to support d/Deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent (DDN) music creators in Belfast. Developed by University of Atypical in partnership with Belfast City Council, the Sounds Atypical Music Awards provides £25,000 in funding aimed at creating more opportunities for DDN artists and helping to make the local music scene more … Continued

UK Music has launched its annual This Is Music Creators’ Survey to shed light on the financial reality of creating music in 2025. Whether you’re a full-time or part-time professional artist, composer, songwriter, engineer or producer, UK Music is eager to hear your experiences and insights. The survey is a vital tool for understanding the … Continued

In the first edition of our new monthly Conversations series – where we sit down with NI’s musicians to talk creativity, motivation, mental health and the realities of making music on your own terms – we catch up with the ever-original Alpha Chrome Yayo. From high-octane Eurobeat and sultry slow-jams to ambient dreamscapes, horror scores, … Continued

Music for Youth and Frequencies have opened applications for the 2025 edition of the Frequencies New Music Residency, a major opportunity for emerging music creators aged 16–25 across the UK – including Northern Ireland. This year’s residency offers a unique platform for young artists to collaborate, create and perform at one of the world’s most … Continued

New research from PRS for Music and the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has revealed that Belfast is the top location in the UK for live music in pubs. Beating every other postcode across the UK – including Birmingham, Nottingham, Bristol and Brighton – this recognition highlights the city’s deep-rooted musical culture and the … Continued

In the latest round of the Music Export Growth Scheme (MEGS), five Northern Irish acts have received a share of the £1.6 million funding aimed at boosting the international presence of UK artists. This scheme, developed and administered by the BPI, helps independent UK companies expand their artists’ commercial profiles in key overseas markets. The … Continued