News

Output Belfast, Ireland’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

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

On Thursday 25th September, Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter will once again be transformed into the beating heart of Ireland’s music industry. Output Belfast, the country’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

Songwriters and composers across the UK, including NI, now have the chance to connect with one of the UK’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

The National Youth Choir of Northern Ireland (NYCNI) is set to close this summer following the loss of its annual funding from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland (ACNI). The decision will bring an end to a 26-year legacy of cross-community choral training for young people across the region. Established in 1999, NYCNI has provided … Continued

Help Musicians’ Electronic Music Award, in association with DJ Mag, has reopened for applications, offering a 12-month support programme for producers, DJs and electronic musicians ready to take the next leap in their careers. Running until Friday, 29th August at 5pm, the award is open to artists working across all electronic genres, from house, techno, … Continued

Pamela McCormick is one of the most quietly transformative figures in UK music education. Born and raised in Belfast during the Troubles, Pamela left NI at 18 and went on to forge a remarkable career across jazz, youth culture, music education and social justice. In 2000, she co-founded Urban Development (now UD) in Stratford, east … Continued

Culture Night Belfast is officially back for 2025, taking place on Friday 19th September. This year’s event will look a little different: it will be artist-led, venue-based and spread across the city. There will be no road closures or central stage. Instead, the focus will be on live events happening in real spaces throughout Belfast … Continued

Submissions for this year’s NI Music Prize have now closed, but keep your eyes peeled for the 2025 shortlists! The NI Music Prize returns to the Ulster Hall on Wednesday 12th November 2025, as part of the Sound of Belfast festival, organised by the Oh Yeah Music Centre. This year’s submissions window covered three key … Continued

For this month’s edition of Conversations, we sit down with Claire Hall, newly appointed Creative Producer at Belfast’s Oh Yeah Music Centre. A long-time champion of inclusive dancefloors, grassroots scenes and bold creative production, Claire brings years of experience across nightlife, placemaking and festivals into her new role helming the programming of this year’s Sound … Continued