IRELAND’S PREMIERE MUSIC CONFERENCE TO BRING MORE THAN 70 ARTISTS TO BELFAST IN JANUARY
Belfast, Northern Ireland (September 2, 2025) — Your Roots Are Showing – Ireland’s Premiere Music Conference has announced the Official Showcase Artists for 2026, taking place January 14–18, 2026, at ICC Belfast and Waterfront Hall. The Folk in Fusion opening concert will kick off the week on January 13, 2026.
The full roster of Official Showcase Artists is revealed in alphabetical order, and on the attached poster, representing the very best in music from Ireland and around the globe.
“At YRAS, everything begins and ends with the artists,” said Charlene Sloan, Co-Founder & Executive Director. “They are the heartbeat of this event and the reason we gather. These showcases are about more than just performance—they are about building sustainable careers, creating connections, and celebrating the wellbeing and creativity of artists who carry these traditions forward.”
“Our showcases are designed to celebrate both tradition and transformation,” said Brendan McCreanor, Co-Founder & Creative Director. “The 2026 lineup brings together artists who honour deep-rooted musical heritage while also blending genres, crossing borders, and creating bold new sounds. It’s a living proof that music is at its most powerful when it evolves—and Belfast will feel that energy first-hand.”
2026 YRAS Showcase Artists:
- AL ALMA
- Alder
- Allen Temple & Moussa Dembele
- An Chéad Ghlúin Eile (ACGE)
- Andy Sydow
- Annie Cheevers
- Ardú
- AYSANABEE
- Ben Gage
- Ben Reel
- Brian O’Brien
- BRIARS
- CAOIMHÍN
- Chantelle Padden
- Charm of Finches
- compagnie artistique lumière
- Corner Boy
- Coruja Jones
- Couldn’t Be Happiers
- Crystal Shawanda
- Dave Clancy
- Davin McCoy
- Dead Letter Devils
- Dee White
- Derek Ellard & The Future Business Model
- Duane Andrews And the Hot Club Of Conception Bay
- Edel Murphy
- Eunice Keitan
- Fiach Moriarty
- Folk Division
- FRAGMENT
- Georgia Mooney
- Grainne Duffy
- Hadithi Kultur
- Hector Gannet
- Helen O’Shea
- Hillary Klug
- How I Became A Wave
- James Keegan
- Joe H Henry
- Joe Troop
- Jon Cope Celtic County Blues
- Kate Prendergast
- Ken Whiteley
- Kevin Quigley & The Great Ideas
- Kieran O’ Connell
- King Springs Road
- Kylie Price
- Laura Ampersand
- Liz & Nilko
- Lleuwen
- Lluís Gómez FlamenGrass 4tet
- Luke Savage Sextet
- MAKAS BAND
- Mali Hâf
- Mallory Chipman
- Man The Lifeboats
- Mànran
- Martin Almgren
- McPEAKE
- Music In The Glen
- Northern Air
- Radim Zenkl & Ondra Kozák
- RIA TIMKIN
- Ryan Biter
- Saltaire
- Scott Levi Jones
- Shay Sweeney
- Stacy Antonel
- Steady Habits
- SYSTIR
- Teague and Joyce
- Tempest
- The 19th Street Band
- The Blow In’s
- The Dark Well Project
- The Haar
- The Kates
- The New Americans
- The Often Herd
- The Outcast Crew
- The Porter Bellys
- The Seeger Sessions Revival
- The Wildwoods
- Tomáš Kočko & ORCHESTR
- Tulua
- Waleed Kush Afro-Jazz
- Whistle
- William Jack
- Yellofox
Now entering its fourth year, Your Roots Are Showing has grown into a key international gathering for the folk and roots community. More than 1,500 delegates are expected in 2026, with five days of showcases, panels, workshops, and networking at ICC Belfast and Waterfront Hall.
In addition to the Official Showcases, the conference will open with the Folk in Fusion concert at Waterfront Hall on January 13, 2026. The Folk in Fusion lineup will be announced later this year and will be ticketed separately.
Event Details:
Folk in Fusion Concert: Jan 13, 2026 – Waterfront Hall (ticketed separately, lineup forthcoming)
Your Roots Are Showing Conference: Jan 14–18, 2026 – ICC Belfast & Waterfront Hall
- Register for January 14-18, 2026 Conference, HERE
- Conference Hotel Information, HERE
- To find out about becoming a 2026 conference sponsor, please contact: André Archimbaud, HERE.
About Your Roots Are Showing:
Your Roots Are Showing – Ireland’s Music Conference is the country’s largest music industry gathering. A nonprofit organization, YRAS is dedicated to supporting artists, building global networks, and strengthening the folk and roots community through showcases, education, outreach, and cultural exchange.
Now in its fourth year, Your Roots Are Showing is Ireland’s only dedicated folk, roots, and traditional music conference. Held in Belfast in 2026, the conference offers five days of showcases, panel discussions, industry networking, and cultural exchange. The conference attracts artists, professionals, and fans from over 20 countries and continues to grow as one of the world’s most exciting new platforms for folk music and industry development.
Your Roots Are Showing is proudly supported by the Belfast and Northern Ireland Conference Subvention Scheme from Belfast City Council and Tourism Northern Ireland, administered by Visit Belfast.
