New music festival, showcase and conference Ireland Music Week is currently accepting applications from emerging  Irish artists to take part in this year’s event (1–5 October). Formerly known as Hard Working Class Heroes, Ireland Music Week is run by First Music Contact and includes a series of showcases in venues across Dublin. It also has a music industry conference with agents, labels, bookers and other international music industry representatives.

The deadline for applications to perform is this Sunday 16 June.

Musicians of all genres are welcome to apply and will be judged by a panel of industry representatives, based on qualities such as the act’s songwriting ability, quality of recording and export-readiness. The successful artists will be given an opportunity to perform during the festival and to attend conference events.

Ireland Music Week director Angela Dorgan commented:

Ireland Music Week is a key moment in the talent pipeline for the best emerging artists … We would encourage artists who feel they are ready for international development to apply for Ireland Music Week, so we can start this story with them.

Previous showcases
Acts who took part in last year’s event include Dundalk grunge act Just Mustard, who last weekend supported The Cure at Malahide Castle; the Wood Burning Savages, ROE and Kitt Philippa who all won awards at the 2018 Northern Ireland Music Awards; singer and electronic artist Laoise, Dublin five-piece THUMPER and songwriter A. Smyth who all performed at this year’s Primavera Sound festival in Barcelona; and Wild Youth, True Tides, Æ Mak, Pillow Queens, Laoise and Molly Sterling.

Since its beginnings in 2003, the festival has showcased other Irish acts such as Hozier, The Coronas, Saint Sister, Wyvern Lingo, David Keenan, Loah, Girl Band, Daithí, Le Boom, Ham Sandwich and Fontaines DC. 

For information on applying to Ireland Music Week, visit: www.irelandmusicweek.com/apply.