After doubts about the return of Other Voices to Ballina - following its initial staging there in September 2018, it was announced last Friday that the music festival will be returning to the north Mayo town at the end of next month.
Elbow, Skinny Living, Denise Chaila and Jesca Hoop are the first four acts announced to play St. Michael's Church at Other Voices Ballina 2020 this February.
A partnership between South Wind Blows, Moy Valley resources and Mayo County Council has enabled Other Voices to again showcase excellent music, provide great workshops, a music trail in local pubs, and high-profile concerts in St Michael’s Church (live-streamed to local pubs and Ballina Arts Centre ) and the ground-breaking Ireland’s Edge Conference.
Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council, Cllr Brendan Mulroy, welcomed the news, saying: "Mayo and Ballina are delighted to have such an internationally acclaimed music event return to Ballina. We are honoured to have an event of this calibre taking place here and I have no doubt it will be a tremendous success."
Chief Executive of Mayo County Council, Peter Hynes added: "This is really good news for the town of Ballina. Other voices is a unique celebration of music and place like no other music event in Ireland. We will extend the warmest of welcomes to the artists and to all those who come to experience Other Voices in Mayo."
Annette Maughan, CEO Moy Valley Resources IRD, supporting the announcement, added: "Moy Valley Resources IRD is excited to team up with Other Voices, Mayo County Council and our local partners to bring this fantastic festival back to Ballina. We look forward in the coming weeks to delivering an unforgettable weekend for the town."
There was a tremendously positive response to the Other Voices Festival in Ballina in 2018 and it is conservatively estimated that the economic benefit to the region was in excess of two million euro, in addition to an extensive media reach. Other Voices has been going strong in Dingle for seventeen years, which has led to the creation of an acclaimed Music TV series with over fifteen international broadcast partners. Other Voices Mayo will also feature in the next broadcast series on RTE later this year.
