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family · Friday 26 June 2026 · Various 
Festival of Flutes
At New Gate Arts and Culture Centre · 2-4 Kennedy Place, Derry, Co. Derry
At New Gate Arts and Culture Centre · 2-4 Kennedy Place, Derry, Co. Derry
Nine days of flute music, from local heritage to global folk, unfolds at one of Derry’s newest cultural spaces this summer. The Festival of Flutes runs from 26 June to 4 July 2026 at the New Gate Arts and Culture Centre, bringing together musicians from Ireland, Britain, Brittany and beyond for an event that mixes concert performances with community roots. It suits anyone who loves traditional or folk music, as well as families after a relaxed evening out in the city.
The programme covers a spread of flute traditions rather than a single style. The opening night on Friday 26 June takes place at the Guildhall - one of Derry’s most striking civic buildings - with a celebration of William Love’s life and music, including the unveiling of an Ulster History Circle Blue Plaque honouring his contribution to local band culture. Tickets for that evening are £10.
From Sunday 28 June the action moves to the New Gate Arts Centre itself. The Leonard Barry Trio plays on Sunday 28 June at 7pm (£12.50), blending masterful musicianship with traditional storytelling. On Thursday 2 July the Menguy-Berenguer Duo bring Breton flute and guitar to the stage (£10), a rare chance to hear that distinct continental sound in Derry. The following evening, Friday 3 July, global folk band Mishra (£10) combine UK roots with international influences. The festival closes on Saturday 4 July with the headline pairing of Michael McGoldrick and Tim Edey (£20), two names well respected across the world of traditional music.
Individual tickets can be booked through newgatearts.com or by calling (0) 2871 265 869.
The New Gate Arts Centre itself is worth noting. Opened in recent years as a £2.3 million shared-space project in the Fountain area, it holds a Black Box Theatre, a rooftop dance studio with panoramic city views, and multi-use creative rooms. It is a proper venue, small enough to feel intimate.
Derry sits in the north-west, about an hour and a half from Belfast by road on the A6, and around two and a half hours from Dublin via the M1 and A5. Translink runs regular bus and rail services from Belfast - the train takes roughly 2 hours 15 minutes to Derry/Londonderry station, from where the centre is a short walk into the city. From Dublin, Bus Eireann and Ulsterbus operate coaches that take around 3 to 3.5 hours depending on the service. Street parking is available in the Fountain area, and there are multi-storey car parks close to the city walls.
The New Gate Arts Centre stands right beside the historic walled city - you can walk the full circuit of the 17th-century walls in under an hour. The Guildhall, the Museum of Free Derry, Craft Village and the Peace Bridge are all within easy reach on foot. There is more to see in Derry and across Co. Derry.
Heading to New Gate Arts and Culture Centre in Derry? Derry has plenty more to see. Read the Derry area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.