Mercury Music Prize to return to Newcastle for 2026
Following its biggest year yet in 2025, The Mercury Prize has announced its return to Newcastle as the host city for 2026
Following its biggest year yet in 2025, The Mercury Prize has announced its return to Newcastle as the host city for 2026, in partnership with Newcastle City Council.
Last year's prize was won by North Shields' own Sam Fender - for his album People Watching.
The award show was held at Utilita Arena in Newcastle last October, the first time it took place outside of London since it launched in 1992, and will return to the venue this autumn to announce the winner of the 2026 Mercury Prize.
The award ceremony aims to spotlight the best new British and Irish music while also celebrating artistic achievements across genres.
The prize aims to champion the album format as well as new music in the UK and Ireland across an eclectic range of genres with its 12 artist shortlist yet to be announced.
The coveted prize was won last year Sam Fender who joined a list of previous winners including Ezra Collective, Little Simz, and Dave.
Dr Jo Twist OBE, BPI CEO, and YolanDa Brown OBE DL, artist and BPI Chair, jointly said: “Last year’s Mercury Prize and its brilliant performances and Fringe gave the region a £1.4m economic and cultural boost and the whole of Newcastle came together to give the event a warm, big Geordie hug. We are delighted to see the Prize return to the Toon and to the North-East for what we know will be another memorable occasion for artists and fans. We thank Newcastle City Council and all our valued partners for their continued collaboration and commitment, and we can’t wait for what is already shaping up to be another fantastic year of British and Irish music.”
Cllr Karen Kilgour, Leader of Newcastle City Council, said: “The return of the Mercury Prize to Newcastle for a second consecutive year is a tremendous vote of confidence in our city and our thriving music scene.
“Newcastle is at the heart of a bold cultural resurgence, and hosting this prestigious national event once again underlines both the strength of our music industry and the growing national recognition of our cultural ambitions. It’s a powerful endorsement of the talent, creativity and momentum that define our city.
“Last year, we showcased exactly what Newcastle can deliver on a major stage, and we’ve continued to build on that momentum. This follows Warner Music’s recent announcement of a three-year partnership with Generator, which will create even more long-term opportunities. It also supports our plans to establish Newcastle and Gateshead as a recognised Music City.
“And with more significant events in the pipeline including a firm commitment to build our own programme, Newcastle will soon be seen as one of the UK’s key cultural hubs.
“While many cities are celebrated for their musical past, Newcastle is shaping its musical future. The return of the Mercury Prize reinforces our reputation as a driving force for emerging talent, industry investment and world-class events — and we are incredibly proud to welcome it back.”
Mick Ross, CEO at Generator, said: “The return of the Mercury Prize to Newcastle confirms that last year wasn’t a one-off - it was a shift in the centre of gravity of British music.
“When Mercury left London, it proved the North has the talent, infrastructure and ambition to lead at the highest level. The BRITs in Manchester followed. The momentum is real. For more than 35 years, Generator has championed Northern talent, lobbied for investment and built the partnerships that moments like this depend on. Through Generator's Mercury Fringe programme, we turned a global awards show into a region-wide platform - creating real opportunities and lasting impact.
"This year, we’re going further - expanding access, opening more pathways and ensuring Northern artists don’t just take part, but set the agenda."
We're told almost 8,000 visitors travelled to Mercury Prize events across the region, generating a combined spend of £874,724 and adding an estimated £552,868 GVA to the regional economy – supporting the equivalent of 13 jobs.