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 world-class vocal training and performance opportunities for thousands of singers aged 11 to 24. The organisation has operated five choirs at various levels and engaged more than 2,000 participants annually through workshops and outreach across NI.

In the 2024–25 period, the choir received £60,797 from the ACNI, but its latest application for funding in 2025–26 was unsuccessful. The Arts Council has stated that the decision was based on the application’s alignment with programme criteria, rather than wider funding pressures. Despite meetings and feedback provided to NYCNI, no reversal has been made.

The decision will leave NI as the only region in the UK or Ireland without a national youth choir. The organisation’s board has since confirmed that the current summer programme – including a final senior choir performance at Fisherwick Presbyterian Church in Belfast – will be its last.

A petition launched by supporters of the choir calls for the decision to be overturned, highlighting the choir’s role as a vital musical and cultural platform for young people. Many current and former members credit the choir with shaping their musical development and providing transformative experiences that supported their progression into further education and professional careers.

The closure raises wider concerns about sustained access to high-quality youth music provision and the loss of inclusive, cross-community initiatives that have contributed significantly to Northern Ireland’s cultural infrastructure.