Mercury Prize brings spotlight to Newcastle

Newcastle is set to become the heart of the UK’s music scene this October.

For the first time, the 2025 Mercury Prize will move beyond London, with the award show set for Thursday, October 16 at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena. 

Celebrating the best British and Irish albums of the year, the prestigious prize will feature live performances from the twelve shortlisted artists before the overall winner is revealed. 

Fans can hear the shortlist announced on Wednesday, September 10 via BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Sounds.

Radio 6 Music presenter and North East native Lauren Laverne will return as host for the evening, while Radio 1’s Maia Beth will cover red carpet interviews and artist sessions for the Prize’s social channels. 

The judging panel, chaired by Jeff Smith, includes prominent industry figures such as Jamie Cullum, Jamz Supernova, Mistajam and Sian Eleri.

Alongside the main event, Generator – the North’s leading music development agency – is powering the Mercury Prize Newcastle Fringe from 9–15 October. 

Spanning all seven North East Combined Authority areas, the Fringe will bring live gigs, workshops, industry panels and artist talks to iconic venues including The Glasshouse, in Gateshead; Pop Recs, in Sunderland; Queens Hall Arts, in Northumberland; and World Headquarters and Tyneside Cinema, in Newcastle. 

Activities will explore music production, broadcasting, songwriting and album-making, while record store listening events will engage local communities and support independent businesses.

For full details of the Fringe events, see here.

The Mercury Prize also welcomes new partners for 2025. 

LNER will serve as the official travel partner, while adidas will host a Mercury Prize display in END. stores, and Fenwick will showcase the twelve albums with live performances and workshops. 

Bowers & Wilkins continues as official audio partner, supporting the Prize’s celebration of the album format and UK music innovation.

With its combination of live performances, workshops, and city-wide engagement, the 2025 Mercury Prize promises to put Newcastle firmly on the map as a hub for contemporary music, celebrating artistic achievement across genres while supporting emerging and established talent alike.

The last remaining tickets are available here.

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