WOMEX 2025 Bursaries – closing 10 July

WOMEX World Music Expo will take place in in Tampere, Finland, from 22nd to 26th October 2025. This will be the eleventh occasion of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s attendance at WOMEX which has fast become the most important international professional market for world music of every kind including folk, roots, ethnic and traditional music.

The five-day event attracts over 2,500 delegates from over 90 countries, including hundreds of concert and festival bookers, labels, publishers, distributors, managers, and the world’s media.

This year, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland will host a combined stand located within the Horizons section of WOMEX. Horizons is an initiative to collectively promote the music of nations of the UK & Ireland at WOMEX. The Horizons partners are Arts Council England, British Underground, Arts Council of Ireland, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Culture Ireland, Creative Scotland, Scottish Music Industry Association, Arts Council of Wales, Cerdd Cymru: Music Wales, Wales Arts International, UK Trade & Investment.

Selected delegates will participate in the national stand to promote their work to international arts industry presenters and promoters.

• The Arts Council of Northern Ireland will offer a maximum of up to four bursary awards for WOMEX 2025 (subject to available budget). The award – £700 per delegate – is towards the costs of registration for the conference, return flights and a contribution towards accommodation and subsistence.

Who can apply?

The delegate bursaries are available to musicians, managers and agents working in Northern Ireland and are aimed at those artists and promoters who have a track record of touring internationally, have excellent promotional material available (CDs, website etc) and who would benefit from attending the event to promote their work at this particular music industry marketplace. Only one delegate bursary will be awarded per group.

Eligible applicants must also:

• Have contributed to artistic activities in Northern Ireland for a minimum of one year within the last 5 years
• Live in Northern Ireland
• Be at least 18 years old and not in secondary education.

To apply

To apply, visit the page at the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s website below

WOMEX 2025 Bursaries