News

The shortlists for this year’s NI Music Prize have been announced. Once again set to take over the iconic Ulster Hall on 12th November as part of this year’s Sound of Belfast Festival, the biggest night in the NI music calendar will celebrate and honour the best in local music. Acts across the scene will … Continued

Composers across Belfast are invited to apply for the third edition of the Leiria International Music Composition Competition. Held annually in Leiria, Portugal – a UNESCO Creative City of Music, like Belfast – the competition is designed to promote contemporary music creation and build connections between local musicians and emerging composers worldwide. The 2025 edition … Continued

The Oh Yeah Music Centre has announced the four new acts joining its Scratch My Progress talent development programme for 2025: GUSH, The Thing Is…, Pinsleep and Lord Jane. Now in its 14th year, the scheme continues to provide mentoring, showcases and practical support for emerging artists, with backing from PRS Foundation and IMRO. Over the … Continued

One of NI’s leading independent promoters, Moving On Music, has announced that it is seeking a new Music Touring Officer for a fixed-term contract beginning late November/early December 2025. The role is being offered as maternity cover and will run until 31st October 2026. Since its foundation in 1995, Moving On Music has become a … Continued

The longlists for this year’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

Starr Records, one of Belfast’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 Belfast’s creativity in the run-up to the Northern Ireland Music Prize. Radio Starr will feature … Continued

The penultimate Soft Gut Song Camp of 2025 is fast approaching, and with only a few spaces left, now’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

Few people have shaped – and safeguarded – Northern Ireland’s music community quite like Charlene Hegarty. From her years at the Oh Yeah Centre, where she helped establish Scratch My Progress, Women’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

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

Belfast International Arts Festival has entered a new era with the appointment of Chris McCreery as Artistic Director and Chief Executive. Taking up the reins later this year, McCreery succeeds Richard Wakely, whose tenure firmly established the festival as a cornerstone of international arts and culture. Few figures in the city’s cultural life have left … Continued