The internationally acclaimed music festival Other Voices returns to Derry next weekend for the first time in over a decade, marking its 25th anniversary with a £50,000 boost from Tourism NI’s International Tourism Events Fund. The two-day celebration of music, art and culture runs from 25-26 September 2026 and is projected to attract around 24,000 visitors, generating an estimated £1.5 million for the local economy.
The event kicks off what organisers describe as a “three-year cycle” of Other Voices events in the city, though details of that commitment remain unclear. It follows hot on the heels of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, which drew record crowds to Belfast earlier this summer.
What to expect at Other Voices Derry
The festival takes over multiple venues across the city including The Nerve Centre, St Columb’s Hall, St Augustine’s Church and The Playhouse. A music trail will showcase emerging Irish talent alongside established acts.
According to the official Other Voices website, the weekend opens with a special concert by Martin Hayes & Brian Donnellan on Thursday 24 September at The Guildhall. The main programme features:
- Kate Nash making her long-awaited Other Voices debut
- Glastonbury Emerging Talent winners Westside Cowboy
- Generational talent Muireann Bradley
- Dublin four-piece Bleech 9:3
- Falkirk five-piece Brògeal
- Hometown heroes The Marra
- UK soul star Debbie and Dublin’s Basht.
Music Trail weekend tickets cost £60 plus booking fee, with performances streamed globally from St Columb’s Hall via the Other Voices YouTube channel. A new “Soundings” discussion strand on Saturday 26 September is free to attend but already sold out.
Official statements
Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald welcomed the return of the festival:
“I welcome that the funding support from Tourism NI for Other Voices will help attract visitors from across the island of Ireland and further afield. Coming off the back of an incredibly successful Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, Other Voices is another opportunity to celebrate and share the power of our music, culture and storytelling with the world. With around 24,000 visitors projected to attend, Other Voices will help deliver economic benefits for local businesses while creating memorable cultural experiences for residents and visitors alike. I wish everyone well for what promises to a great event.”
Eimear Callaghan, Director of Client Engagement with Tourism NI, said:
“We are delighted to welcome Other Voices back to Northern Ireland and to support the significant opportunity it provides to showcase Derry and the wider region to audiences around the world. Coming just weeks after the success of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann and ahead of Derry Halloween, Other Voices kicks off a strong Autumn programme of cultural and music events for the city of Derry. Together, both events will showcase our rich heritage of storytelling and music and help promote the city as an ideal location for an Autumn break.”
Philip King, Founder of Other Voices, expressed enthusiasm for the return:
“We are thrilled with Tourism Northern Ireland’s support in helping us bring Other Voices back to Derry in 2026. We all know how powerfully music and the arts can bring people together and draw them to special places where the music happens. For Other Voices, Derry is a special place, a city brimming with music and song, and a city that is firmly established on people’s cultural map of Ireland and Europe. We look forward to welcoming to Other Voices Derry the many visitors who we know will travel from all corners of Ireland, and elsewhere, to experience Other Voices in this wonderful city of music. We know from our 25 years’ experience in Dingle that Other Voices, and other music events, are vitally important in creating a sense of place, a sense of community and discovery, and in stimulating significant economic benefits and profile. We look forward to Other Voices Derry 2026 as the opening year in a three-year cycle of Other Voices events in Derry, and we look forward to seeing many new faces in Derry.”
Context and unanswered questions
The press release notes this is Other Voices’ first Derry visit since 2014, when it appeared during the city’s tenure as UK City of Culture. However, it offers no explanation for why the festival left or what prompted its return now—gaps that leave readers wondering about the circumstances behind the 12-year absence.
The “three-year cycle” mentioned by Philip King suggests a longer-term commitment, yet no details are provided about what this entails, whether funding is secured for future years, or what would trigger cancellation.
The economic projections—£1.5 million impact and 24,000 visitors—are estimates rather than guaranteed outcomes. For context, the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann held in Belfast this August attracted over one million visitors, far exceeding its 800,000 projection. Whether Other Voices can meet its more modest targets remains to be seen.
Notably absent from the announcement: ticket pricing for individual events, accessibility provisions for disabled attendees, or specific measures to ensure local residents can participate beyond the paid Music Trail. The free Soundings event is already sold out, suggesting demand may outstrip accessible options.
The Department’s use of “Derry” throughout—without the “Londonderry” formulation sometimes seen in official communications—reflects the festival’s own branding, though this naming choice carries political resonance in the region.
Questions worth asking
- What concrete commitments underpin the promised “three-year cycle,” and what happens if funding or attendance falls short?
- How will organisers ensure affordable access for local residents, given the £60 Music Trail price point and sold-out free events?
- What prompted the 12-year gap between Derry editions, and what has changed to make 2026 the right moment for return?
- How does Tourism NI evaluate whether projected economic benefits materialise, and will these be published?
- Given Fleadh Cheoil’s cross-community elements—including Loyalist marching bands performing—what steps are being taken to ensure Other Voices reaches across community lines in Derry?
What to watch
Other Voices Derry 2026 runs 25-26 September. The St Columb’s Hall ticket lottery closes at 2pm on Thursday 18 September. Final Music Trail tickets remain available via Eventbrite. Tourism NI will publish full funding award details on its website by end of August.
The festival’s success this year—and whether the promised three-year cycle materialises—will likely influence how Tourism NI allocates its International Tourism Events Fund in future rounds. Applications for 2026-27 funding have already closed, with the scheme now shut to new applicants.