Electric Picnic named overall winner as IMRO Live Music Awards 2026 celebrate Ireland's venues, festivals and promoters

The achievements of Ireland's live music venues and festivals were celebrated in Dublin on Tuesday evening, as the winners of the 2026 IMRO Live Music Awards were revealed during a special live ceremony at the Guinness Storehouse.

Hosted by Tom Dunne - who will be replacing Eleanor McEvoy as IMRO Chair - and Rachel Mae Hannon, the event saw venues, festivals, promoters and the people behind the scenes recognised for the work they do in providing a platform for brilliant live music.

Fittingly, there were a number of stellar live performances on the night from some of the finest homegrown acts including Dave Lofts, whose powerful voice stopped people in their tracks; Ahmed, With Love, whose infectious personality matched his potent word-craft; Scullion, who delivered both great songs and superb musicianship; and BABYRAT, who ended the night with a performance of rocking brilliance.

BABYRAT performing at the IMRO Live Music Awards 2026. Photo: Ian Davies.

Among the highlights of the ceremony were the presentation of the Overall Winner award to Electric Picnic Music & Arts Festival, which was decided by public vote in partnership with Hot Press. Overall, it was an inspiring night for the live music industry as a whole.

“I genuinely believe that Ireland is up there among the greatest countries in the world for consistently producing outstanding, brilliant and enduring music,” Niall Stokes, editor of Hot Press says. “And this is true across all genres now, whether it's rock ’n roll, rap, hip hop, folk and traditional music, singer-songwriters, dance music or pop. Every week we hear about fresh ways in which Irish music is creating waves, gathering momentum and winning new audiences across the globe. By any standards it is a remarkable story.

"That success begins with the fact that music is valued by Irish people as being at the heart of everything we do. But the inspiring achievements of Irish music – and of the Irish musicians, bands, songwriters and composers who create it – would not be possible without the incredible enthusiasm, dedication and imagination shown by the people who manage and run venues all over Ireland, who dream up festivals, and who have earned this country a reputation for the world-leading excellence of its sound, lighting and staging of performances and events, both indoors and outdoors."

Hundreds of venues across Ireland qualified for the awards and IMRO members were invited to nominate their top choices in an online poll. Judging criteria covering ambience, staging, sound and lighting facilities, diversity of music programming, accessibility for people with disabilities, venue staff and management, and the work they undertake in promoting the venue and its programme of music events.

Louise Duffy at the IMRO Live Music Awards. Photo: Ian Davies.

RTÉ Radio One star Louise Duffy – a great supporter of Irish music – presented four awards on the night to the regional venue winners, with IMRO's chair Eleanor McEvoy also presenting the awards. With representatives from across the industry in attendance, Eleanor spoke warmly of her years leading the IMRO board – and symbolically handed over to the new Chair, whose term will begin shortly, and who also happened to be one of the comperes, Tom Dunne.

The newly introduced Live Music Promoter of the Year category, saw the award going to Singular Artists.

Sprit Store took home two awards on the night. Photo: Aybike Asan.

"We are delighted to celebrate the outstanding achievements of this year's winners," the CEO of IMRO, Victor Finn said. "Live music is at the heart of Ireland's cultural identity and it is sustained by the venues, festivals, promoters and technical crews who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make it all possible. It is a privilege for IMRO to host these awards and recognise the people and places whose dedication, passion and expertise continue to drive Ireland's live music scene forward."

“All of this matters to the perception of Ireland, both here at home and internationally, as a place to live, to work, to play and to visit," Niall Stokes adds. "We have our problems in Ireland, and it would be remiss to gloss over them – but you look around and see what is happening elsewhere across the globe, and realise how lucky we really are in so many ways. I have no doubt that Ireland is among the very best places in the world to live right now, and that is down to the great liberalising movement in relation to women's rights and LGBTQ rights, that swept across the country over the past fifty years; to the warmth and welcoming nature of the vast majority of Irish people; to the powerful impact that Ireland’s emergence as a genuinely multi-cultural society has had; and to the fact that culture matters here, and that music matters here.

"In Hot Press, we have campaigned consistently over the years for greater official recognition of the contribution that music makes to Irish life, to the Irish economy and to our international standing, which is why we are so pleased to join with IMRO, who are vigorously fighting that battle, as a partner – and in the Overall Winner at the Live Music Awards in particular.

“The live music scene, in all its aspects, is vital for Irish talent. That makes it vital for Ireland. Long may it flourish."

As IMRO - the Irish Music Rights Organisation - describes on its website, the Live Music Awards “champion the venues and teams that support live music at every level and make gigs possible, on stages big and small, in every part of the country. They recognise the huge cultural and economic impact of live music across Ireland.”

The full list of winners of the IMRO Live Music Awards 2026 is as follows:

Overall Winner Electric Picnic Music & Arts Festival

IMRO Festival Technical Crew of the Year - Electric Picnic Music & Arts Festival

IMRO Venue Technical Crew of the Year - Spirit Store, Louth

IMRO Small Music Festival of the Year - Aurfest, Louth

IMRO Large Music Festival of the Year - All Together Now, Waterford

Live Music Venue of the Year Dublin - Vicar Street, Dublin

Live Music Venue of the Year Leinster (excluding Dublin) - Spirit Store, Louth

Live Music Venue of the Year Munster - Dolan's, Limerick

Live Music Venue of the Year Connacht - Monroe's Live, Galway

Live Music Venue of the Year Ulster - McCafferty's Bar, Donegal Town

IMRO Live Music Promoter of the Year - Singular Artists