Economy Minister Dr has
said our strong year of rich cultural events continues as Derry
gears up to host Other Voices.
Other Voices, which marks its
25th anniversary this year, is a two-day
celebration of music, art and culture which takes place in
Derry from 25-26 September 2026.
This is the first year the event is being supported through
Tourism NI's International Tourism Events Fund.
It will receive £50,000 with the
event estimated to generate almost £1.5
million for the local economy.
Economy Minister Dr
said: 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.
The festival, which takes place at venues such as
The Nerve Centre, St Columb's Hall, St Augustine's
Church and The Playhouse, will also feature
a music trail to showcase the best of
emerging Irish talent.
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, said: "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."
Notes to editors:
- Originating in Dingle, Co Kerry, the event is
to Derry for the first time since 2014.
- The ITEF specifically supports events that attract
significantly high levels of visitors here while also
generating international media coverage, which helps
to showcase Northern Ireland as a must-see travel
destination.
