“You Might Not Like It”: Sonorities 2026 Transforms Queen’s into a Four-Day International Music Festival
By Grace Allen
For four days, Sonorities Festival Belfast 2026 took over Queen’s University Belfast, transforming it into a hub for international sound. Over 100 artists took part in more than thirty events, spanning experimental music, immersive concerts, and striking installations. The festival slogan was, “You might not like it” — and it doesn’t try to change that. [1]
Professor Paul Stapleton, Head of Arts at Queen’s and Director of Sonorities, described the festival as something that has long pushed boundaries, stating: “Sonorities has been making a joyful commotion in Belfast since 1981, featuring a large range of local and international acts making risky music at the edges of many different genres. I’m particularly delighted by the great diversity of artists in this year’s festival programme, representing a radically open view of the future that the arts can help bring about.” [2]
Established in 1981, Sonorities is a biennial festival that has immersed the people of Belfast in sound and music. Musicians, composers, and sound artists alike came together to share their passion and expertise, exploring rhythm, tonality, surround sound, and experimental approaches to listening. Artists from across the globe brought with them a wide range of practices and perspectives. The programme moved fluidly between electronic and acoustic work, often combining the two in ways that challenged traditional ideas of performance — a nod to the festival’s experimental nature. From live electronics and multichannel sound to instrumental improvisation and audio-visual installations, the festival embraced an interdisciplinary approach, where sound intersected with technology, visual art, and research.
As Director of the Sonic Arts Research Centre, Professor Pedro Rebelo reflected on the festival’s contribution to this growing field, explaining that “Nobody’s really done something quite like this before. Immersive formats are having a bit of a boom at the moment, and this is another contribution to this world.” He also highlighted the global reach of the programme, noting that “the gallery programme for Sonorities itself was based on an open call with an amazing response from across the world.”
Collaboration played a central role throughout, with many performances and projects bringing together artists from different backgrounds to create work that was exploratory, responsive, and constantly evolving. This was further reflected in this year’s international partnership, as for the first time Sonorities ran in collaboration with Canada’s Improvisation Festival, enabling a 24/7 live stream of performances for global audiences. Speaking as part of the Sonorities Keynote Panel: Co-creative Continuums, Eric Fillion, director of the International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation (IICSI), reflected on this broader context, stating that “culture is the mental map we use to make sense of the world.”
A key addition to this year’s festival was the opening of the SARC Gallery, officially launched as part of the Sonorities programme. Designed as an intimate, immersive space for audio-visual and interactive work, the gallery supports research and artistic practice through a curated programme of installations. Featuring work selected from an international open call, the space reflects the global scope of the festival while offering audiences a more contemplative way to engage with sound and image. [3]
Alongside the Gallery, the Sonic Lab remains one of the most distinctive features of the festival. Often described as a “cinema for the ear,” the space is designed to create a fully immersive listening experience through a system of 84 strategically placed loudspeakers projecting sound in 360 degrees, including above and below the audience. There are only two facilities of this kind in the world — one in Northern Ireland and one in New York — placing Queen’s University Belfast at the forefront of sonic innovation and providing a unique environment for both artistic experimentation and cutting-edge research. [4]
Professor Archie Clements, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Research and Enterprise at Queen’s University Belfast, reflected on his experience after attending the first concert in SARC, saying, “I don’t know what I expected. I think I expected something innovative and different to what I’m used to hearing, but I didn’t have any real expectations. I went into it with a very open mind.” He went on to describe SARC as “one of my favourite places in the University because it’s a place of innovation and a place of frontier research, cutting-edge advancement of the field of music and sound, with amazing infrastructure and facilities. The university has invested significantly in this building (SARC), and you might ask the question why… really, it’s about the return on investment. Not just in terms of grants and reputation but in terms of impact and innovation, and what we’re doing as an institution to drive forward the entire breadth of disciplines in the fields we conduct research.”
The festival’s accessibility has also played a key role in shaping its atmosphere, with a wide range of free events encouraging students and the wider public to engage with international artists and new forms of sound. Across campus, there is a noticeable sense of curiosity and openness, as audiences encounter work that challenges expectations and invites new ways of listening. For many, the experience offers something entirely different from the usual university environment. Media team volunteer Olivia Gallagher, a second-year Media and Broadcast Production student at Queen’s University Belfast, described the experience as “I really had no expectations going in and I was completely blown away by the different forms of music that were out there, being behind the scenes and getting to see the process of performances being set up and getting to speak to the artists really gave me insight to the deeper meaning behind a lot of the pieces.”
Beyond the performances, the festival also created valuable opportunities for connection and collaboration. With over 60 student volunteers involved, Sonorities offered hands-on experience across a range of roles, from livestream teams and technical crews to media and production. This level of access gave Queen’s students a rare opportunity to work closely with internationally recognised artists, gaining practical insight into the industry while building professional networks. Performances extended beyond campus venues, with artists such as RÓIS bringing Sonorities to the Empire; according to her management, she is already booked for performances worldwide over the next three years, pointing to the calibre of artists the festival continues to attract. For those involved behind the scenes, the experience was equally significant — I worked as Media Co-ordinator for the duration of the festival, an opportunity that highlighted just how expansive and valuable these networks can be.
In many ways, the festival echoes Eric Fillion’s reflection that “culture is the mental map we use to make sense of the world.” Events like Sonorities demonstrate the importance of the arts and humanities in bringing people together — through sound, music, and a shared drive for innovation and creativity. In a rapidly changing world, spaces like this do more than showcase performance; they create connection, understanding, and new ways of thinking across communities. Be ready for its return in 2028 — because you might just like it.
References:
[1] https://sonorities.net/2026/
[3] https://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/sarc/Gallery/
[4] https://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/sarc/facilities/sonic-lab/
