Borderline Festival will return to Dublin on Thursday 19th (free entry opening night), Friday 20th and Saturday 21st (ticketed) February 2026, expanding across The Workman’s Club and Project Arts Centre for three nights of cutting-edge music and culture.
Now in its third year, Borderline continues to champion forward-thinking artists from Ireland and beyond a celebration of boundary pushing sounds and the thriving creative scene that connects them.
This marks a major step up for the festival, signalling its evolution from a 16-act discovery weekender into one of Ireland’s most forward-thinking multi-venue events. Across both venues, Borderline will showcase over 40 emerging and boundary-pushing artists from Ireland, the UK, Europe and beyond.
Borderline Festival reveals it's third round of artists joining the 2026 lineup, free adding even more cutting edge names from the UK and beyond, alongside details for its free opening night on Thursday, 19th February 2026, announcing live performances from homegrown artists Black Nylon and Affection To Rent, alongside a special photography exhibition by Patricia Rosingana (xbadbon), which will run across the three nights.
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The Thursday programme opens the festival with a free entry celebration, spotlighting emerging artists and the community that has grown around the festival since its debut.
Running alongside the live music, Patricia Rosingana’s exhibition will showcase shots from previous editions of Borderline Festival, as well as other Singular Artists shows across Ireland. From Wunderhorse performances at The Workman’s Club, Button Factory, Vicar Street and Collins Barracks, to landmark moments featuring Fontaines D.C., Gurriers, Shame and Maruja. The exhibition offers an intimate visual archive of the rooms, crowds and early moments that define Borderline’s spirit.
“The exhibition captures the excitement of the beginnings. It freezes the early days in intimate rooms, filled with an audience that is there to enjoy music, have fun and discover new bands in a lineup carefully curated every year by Singular Artists.” - Patricia Rosingana (xbadbon)
Any purchases of Patricia Rosingana’s merchandise during the exhibition will be donated directly to the Liam Norton Fund. Liam passed away last year and was a passionate music fan and tireless advocate for emerging artists. This donation is made in loving memory of Liam Norton, whose enthusiasm for live music and unwavering support of Irish talent touched so many lives. All contributions will go towards supporting upcoming and emerging Irish bands and artists, helping them find their voice, share their work and continue the rich tradition of Irish music for future generations.
In further lineup news, Silvergore has also been added to the festival bill and will perform on Saturday, 21st February, joining an already stacked weekend of boundary-pushing artists from Ireland and beyond.
Borderline Festival 2026 takes place Thursday 19th (free entry), Friday 20th and Saturday 21st February 2026, across The Workman’s Club and Project Arts Centre, featuring over 40 artists across four stages.
Following unprecedented demand for the first announcement, with weekend tickets selling out within one day of going on sale, Borderline continues to build momentum heading into its biggest edition to date.
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Festival Founder, Simon Merriman, adds:
“This year marks a real step forward for the festival, with the addition of a brand new venue at the Project Arts Centre. Their three event spaces will join our long-standing home at The Workman’s Club, expanding the festival in an exciting way.
“We’ll be welcoming up to 40 artists, across four stages, from all over the world to perform across three nights in Dublin city.
“Another exciting development is the addition of a third day to the calendar, a free entry party on Thursday, as a way to say thank you to the Borderline audience.
“This year’s lineup features some of the most exciting new artists currently breaking through in the industry. Over the past 12 months, these acts have been making waves across Europe and beyond, and we’re thrilled to introduce many of them to Irish audiences for the very first time.
“We believe it’s vital to support new music in Ireland, and Borderline is dedicated to giving emerging artists a platform to connect with new fans. The appetite for fresh sounds here is stronger than ever, and we’re proud to be part of it. Catch you down the front!”
Borderline Festival 2026 is presented by Singular Artists in association with Jameson, The Workman’s Club, Projects Arts Centre, IMRO, Blackstar Amplification and Musicmaker.
TICKETS - On Sale Here
- Thursday: Free entry
- One-day ticket: €18.00 including booking fee
- Weekend ticket: SOLD OUT
Access:
The ticket entitles access to all rooms at The Workman’s Venue & Project Arts Centre (for Borderline) based on room capacity. The audience can roam between rooms at The Workman’s Club ‘Main Room’, Project Arts Centre ‘Space Upstairs’, Project Arts Centre ‘The Cube’ for Borderline festival.
