Eight young music acts announced for Plymouth City Centre New Music 2026

23rd March 2026

Eight young music acts from Plymouth have been selected to help shape the sound of the city this summer, as Plymouth City Centre New Music 2026 unveils the artists chosen for its first year.

Following a strong response to the open call earlier this year, eight outstanding emerging acts aged 16–25 have been selected by a panel of local music professionals to take part in the new programme, which supports young artists to perform live, record and release original music in the heart of Plymouth.

Delivered by Plymouth Culture, Plymouth City Centre Company and Plymouth Music CIC, the programme combines paid live performance opportunities with professional development and industry support. Across May to September 2026, the selected artists will perform as supporting acts at the new city centre Amphitheatre and Old Town Square, as part of Plymouth’s wider summer live music programme.

As well as taking to the stage in front of city centre audiences, each artist will receive a development package including:

• A paid live performance as a supporting act in Plymouth City Centre
• Professional recording and mixing of a single at DBS Studios
• A release workshop to support music launches on streaming platforms
• Mentoring and support from Grace Lightman, producer, songwriter and performer
• Inclusion on the Plymouth City Centre New Music playlist
   

The programme is designed to create a visible platform for the next generation of local talent, while helping young musicians build confidence, gain professional experience and connect with new audiences in the city.

Meet the 2026 artists

The selected acts for Plymouth City Centre New Music 2026 are:

• Bobbieee
• Colour TV
• Evelyn Shaw
• Holloway
• Iris Lee
• Olly Skinner
• Ruby Thomas
• The Other Woman

Spanning indie, folk, pop, rock, electronic and Americana influences, the line-up reflects the breadth of emerging music talent in Plymouth and the wider South West.

Summer performance dates

Audiences will be able to catch the selected artists live across the city centre this summer as part of the wider Live at the Amphitheatre and Saturday Sessions programme:

• Colour TV – 9 May, 4pm, City Centre Amphitheatre
• Evelyn Shaw – 13 June, 3pm, City Centre Amphitheatre
• Holloway – 4 July, 1pm, Old Town Square
• Olly Skinner – 11 July, 3pm, City Centre Amphitheatre
• Bobbieee – 1 August, 1pm, Old Town Square
• Iris Lee – 8 August, 3pm, City Centre Amphitheatre
• The Other Woman – 5 September, 1pm, Old Town Square
• Ruby Thomas – 12 September, 3pm, City Centre Amphitheatre
   

Each artist will perform a 30-minute supporting set, giving audiences the chance to discover new music and support the next wave of emerging talent from the city and region.

Hannah Harris, Chief Executive of Plymouth Culture, said: “Plymouth City Centre New Music is about creating meaningful opportunities for young artists at a crucial point in their journey. This programme gives emerging musicians the chance not only to perform in front of live audiences, but to develop their practice, record original work and gain experience of what it takes to build momentum in the music industry. We’re excited to see these eight acts bring fresh energy and new sounds into the heart of the city this summer.”

Steve Hughes, Chief Executive of Plymouth City Centre Company, said: “One of the ambitions for our city centre events programme is to create space for new talent alongside established acts, and Plymouth City Centre New Music does exactly that. These artists will bring originality, energy and a real sense of what’s next for Plymouth’s music scene, while helping make the city centre an even more vibrant place to spend time this summer.”

For details about the acts, visit: plymouthculture.co.uk/new-music-2026

For full event listings and updates, visit Live at the Amphitheatre and Saturday Sessions at Old Town Square.