Piping Live! is once again looking for the brightest and best in up-and-coming talent for its Emerging Talent programme. Applications are open now for UK-based acts, for a chance to perform as part of the festival’s daytime line up.
Piping Live! will run from Sunday, August 9 to Friday, August 14, 2026. The Festival Site will be serving up a fantastic mix of music from solo piping to trad groups, international artists playing indigenous bagpipes from across the world and headline artists to round off each day. There will be family friendly events, book launches, talks and more from morning till evening! The event is still in planning stages so full programme and timetable will be announced soon.
Since its inception, Piping Live! has provided a platform for up-and-coming bands and artists, using this paid performance opportunity as a springboard to future success. Performers that have been part of the Emerging Talent line up include RURA, Ali Levack, Eabhal and Falasgair, who have all gone on to perform at other festivals across the globe.
To be part of the Emerging Talent strand, Piping Live! is looking for acts that are in the early stages of their career. This is a paid performance opportunity. To apply, acts must supply a link to one track on Soundcloud (or another streaming platform), plus a link to a video of them performing live (even if this is simply recorded at home).
An audition panel, including the festival’s Artistic Director, Finlay MacDonald will review all the submissions, and will be looking for a high level of musicianship, as well as originality and creativity. Acts are not required to include bagpipes in their line-up, though preference may be given to those that do.
To apply, complete this form – https://forms.gle/GPJN5sNiMMKvfLY48 – adding in your track, video link, the name of your name / group name and its lineup, as well as anything else you think the festival team need to know!
If you would like to find out more about the opportunity, you can email contact@pipinglive.co.uk and the team can give you more details. Entries must be submitted no later than 5pm on the Friday, April 30, 2026.
