Music
22 Mar 26

Eurosonic 2027 to focus on Ireland

Dove Ellis at Eurosonic Binnenzaal on January 14th, 2026. Copyright Niels Knelis

The prestigious Dutch showcase festival returns next January, with early bird delegate passes now available

Following the news that Dove Ellis, Madra Salach and Florence Road have landed a substantial number of European festival bookings on the back of their 2026 participation, Eurosonic has announced that the showcase spotlight next year will officially be on Ireland.

It's yet another indicator of the rude health of the Irish music industry - and how well our artists are doing overseas.

Having celebrated its 40th birthday this January, Eurosonic makes its 2027 return from January 13-16 January 2027 with Hot Press again in the thick of the gig action.

"It is the second time in the history of ESNS that the festival and conference are highlighting talent and topics from Ireland," they say. "After 15 years ESNS, First Music Contact and RTÉ 2FM feel it is the right momentum to put the spotlight on the Emerald Isle again. First Music Contact runs the annual showcase event Ireland Music Week, and the Irish Music export office, Music From Ireland.

"Over the years, Irish artists such as CMAT, Dermot Kennedy, Fontaines D.C., Dove Ellis Florence Road, Hozier, Inhaler, Kingfishr, Lankum, Madra Salach and The Marry Wallopers took the stage of Eurosonic at the beginning of their careers. After showcasing at ESNS, their chances of getting booked at major European festivals increased by enrolling in ESNS's Exchange programme."

Oskar Strajn, ESNS Head of Music, says: "Over the past years we have all seen the Irish scene growing exponentially, and right now it's fully blossoming. We want to embrace this moment and celebrate all the amazing artists that have emerged from Ireland as well as focus on future talents. Looking at the past edition of ESNS alone, Irish acts are the ones that benefited from playing in Groningen the most; with Florence Road, Madra Salach and Dove Ellis being the top three most booked acts across Europe since the festival.

"The ESNS Conference provides a platform for influential voices in the music sector, featuring programme highlights that spotlight Ireland. Delegates can explore the Irish music scene and network with industry professionals from Ireland at ESNS27."

It's worth noting that Eurosonic is very much a fans' festival too, with ticket holders able to wander between multiple venues. As for Groningen itself, it's a fabulous city with loads of culture and some cracking record shops!

Find out more at https://esns.nl/en