The Mercury Prize will be returning to Newcastle in 2026, organisers have confirmed.
The announcement comes following the biggest year yet for the awards in 2025, where it took place in Newcastle – the first time in its history that it was held outside of London.
Now, organisers have shared that they have teamed up with Newcastle City Council and will be hosting the 2026 edition of the ceremony in the city for the second consecutive year. The event will be held on Thursday October 22 at the Utilita Arena.
As ever, the night will see 12 artists shortlisted for album of the year, and the live event will see many of which take to the stage for a live performance, before the winner is announced at the end of the night. As usual, the Prize’s broadcast partner BBC Music will provide coverage of the event.
The Mercury Prize recognises the best new British and Irish music, and, an independent arts prize, champions the album format as a whole – choosing a winner whose record represents a snapshot of the year in music.
Last year’s ceremony was also held at the Ultilita Arena, and saw local hero Sam Fender take home the award for his record ‘People Watching’. With the victory, he joined an impressive list of past winners including Pulp, PJ Harvey, Arctic Monkeys, English Teacher, Ezra Collective, Little Simz, Dave, Wolf Alice and Young Fathers.
The event also followed a week-long fringe programme of events and talks, bringing an extra 8,000 visitors to the North East.
The Mercury Prize will return to Newcastle’s Utilita Arena on Thursday 22nd October 2026. 💫
Read more: https://t.co/xoK5BJ0cUx pic.twitter.com/z17cmDjF8a
— Mercury Prize (@MercuryPrize) February 18, 2026
“Last year’s Mercury Prize and its brilliant performances and Fringe gave the region a £1.4million economic and cultural boost and the whole of Newcastle came together to give the event a warm, big Geordie hug,” said Dr Jo Twist OBE, BPI CEO, and YolanDa Brown OBE DL, artist and BPI Chair. “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.”
Cllr Karen Kilgour, Leader of Newcastle City Council added: “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,” Kilgour added, also saying that the event “supports our plans to establish Newcastle and Gateshead as a recognised Music City”.
“While many cities are celebrated for their musical past, Newcastle is shaping its musical future,” the councillor added. “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.”
Last year’s instalment of the Mercury Prize saw nearly 8,000 visitors travel to Newcastle for the events, and generated a combined spend of £874,724. It also added an estimated £552,868 GVA to the regional economy, and led to 35 local people gaining work experience.
When the North Shields singer-songwriter won last year’s award for his acclaimed third album, he beat off competition from Pulp, Wolf Alice, Fontaines D.C. and CMAT.
He later confirmed that he donated his £25,000 winnings to the Music Venue Trust (MVT), while highlighting the importance of “struggling” small gig spaces in the UK.
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