Newcastle to host Mercury Music Prize 2025
Following the city’s successful hosting of the MOBO Awards, the prestigious music prize heads north for the first time, with a live ceremony and week-long fringe festival planned
The 2025 Mercury Prize will be held in Newcastle this autumn, marking the first time the prestigious music award will leave its traditional London base.
The move offers a major boost for the city’s cultural credentials and follows a wave of recent investment and events that are helping to cement Newcastle’s status as a rising force in the UK music scene.
The Mercury Prize ‘Albums of the Year’ shortlist will be revealed on September 10, with the award ceremony taking place on October 16 at the Utilita Arena.
The event, open to the public, will feature live performances from many of the 12 shortlisted acts, culminating in the announcement of this year’s winning album.
The evening’s proceedings will be broadcast across BBC platforms.
Partnering with Newcastle City Council and the North East Combined Authority, the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) has brought the Prize north with support from Generator, the region’s music development agency.
Generator will also curate a week-long fringe festival to celebrate Northern talent and showcase the region’s vibrant music community.
Mick Ross, chief executive of Generator said: "We can’t wait to share plans for a week-long fringe programme that will put a global spotlight on our incredible city and showcase the raw talent, passion, and creativity that drive our community.
“Following the MOBOs, Music City initiatives, Sonic Futures, the Northern Music Export Office, and our partnerships with EMI North and Warner, this moment cements the North East’s position as the new home of the Northern music industry, leading the way for a stronger, more sustainable future in music, culture, and creativity.”
“This is a groundbreaking moment,” added BPI chief executive Dr Jo Twist OBE. “Newcastle is a true music city, and we’re thrilled to bring the Mercury Prize here for the first time.”
While this will be the first time the North East has played host to the Mercury Prize, artists from and in the region have been well represented over the years since it made its debut in 1992. Sting, The Unthanks (then Rachel Unthank and the Winterset), Maximo Park, Kathryn Williams, Field Music, The 1975, Nadine Shah, Lanterns on the Lake, Everything Everything and Sam Fender have all made the shortlist
Newcastle City Council Leader Cllr Karen Kilgour called the move “a real privilege,” adding that it “speaks volumes of the growing strength of the music industry in the city and wider region.”
Mayor Kim McGuinness added that the event builds on the region’s proud cultural history and will “help our region stand tall on the national and international stage.”
With past Mercury winners including Little Simz, Dave, and Ezra Collective, the 2025 ceremony is expected to shine a national spotlight on both iconic and emerging artists— this time with Newcastle at the heart of the action.
Tickets are on sale for the ceremony on October 16 from the website.