This week Ulster University is home to the Belfast TradFest Summer School, one of the largest gatherings of traditional musicians and students anywhere in the world. Delivered in partnership with Ulster University, the internationally renowned Summer School is expected to welcome around 1,100 students of all ages and abilities, from 39 different countries, positioning it in the top three summer schools of traditionla music in the world.
Now in its landmark eighth edition, Belfast TradFest runs from 26 July to 2 August 2026, bringing together more than 1,000 artists across almost 600 events in 40 venues and transforming Belfast – the island of Ireland’s only UNESCO City of Music – into an international hub for traditional music, song and dance.
The festival’s growth has been remarkable. In 2025 it welcomed more than 30,000 attendees from 34 countries and generated an estimated £3.1 million net economic impact for the city. Its recent inclusion in the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s Annual Funding Programme marks a significant milestone, and Ulster University is proud to be among the festival’s supporting partners.
Professor Duncan Morrow, Director of Community Engagement at Ulster University, said:
“We are hugely proud to welcome thousands of musicians and students to our Belfast campus this summer. Hosting the Belfast TradFest Summer School – and, next week, Scoil Éigse as part of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann – places Ulster University at the very heart of one of the most significant cultural moments in the city’s recent history.
"Traditional music education is about passing skills, stories and a shared love of the tradition from one generation to the next, and it is a privilege for the University to provide a home for that in the heart of Belfast.”
Artistic Director of Belfast TradFest Dónal O’Connor said:
“Our partnership with Ulster University has been transformational for Belfast TradFest. The signing of our Memorandum of Understanding in 2025 marked a significant milestone, reflecting a shared ambition to create a world-class environment where musicians of all ages, backgrounds and traditions come together to learn, share ideas and be inspired by some of the finest tradition brearers anywhere.
"There is something truly special about seeing the University campus filled with music from morning until night, with every corridor, lecture theatre and social space alive with creativity, collaboration and cultural exchange. It's a powerful demonstration of what can be achieved when a university and a cultural organisation work together with a shared vision for the future of traditional music and for Belfast as a UNESCO City of Music.”
The excitement continues into next week when Belfast makes history as it hosts Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann for the very first time. Running from 2 to 9 August 2026, the Fleadh is the world’s biggest celebration of Irish music and culture, and is expected to draw around 800,000 people to the city across eight unforgettable days of competitions, concerts, céilís and street sessions.
Ulster University’s Belfast campus will play a central role, hosting Scoil Éigse, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann’s international summer school, from 2 to 7 August. Now in its 52nd year, Scoil Éigse brings together hundreds of musicians of all ages for a week of intensive tuition from some of the finest traditional musicians in Ireland, culminating in a special concert of students and tutors.
Belfast TradFest’s full programme and tickets are available at belfasttradfest.com.
Full details of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2026, including Scoil Éigse, can be found at fleadhcheoil.ie.
