The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival is returning from 22 to 26 October with Irish emerging artists and established talent taking their place alongside international names. While the festival has hosted some of the biggest names in global music for almost five decades its enduring connection to supporting the Irish music scene is just as important according to festival programmer Eoin Cregan. The 2026 programme puts that connection front and centre with Muireann Bradley 49th and Main Yankari Afrobeat Collective Maya Libbey Solène Laurence Toshín Sei Green Luke Thomas and The Swing Cats Tyra-Lee Spry Ezra Williams Caolan Ryan Zaska TBL8 Brass Winnie Ama Mirrors Aisling and Stevie G among the acts.
The festival is also committed to supporting the next generation of Cork-connected artists giving them the opportunity to step onto a festival platform while remaining connected to the city and its music community. Maya Libbey Solène Laurence and Tyra-Lee Spry are among the artists bringing new voices and perspectives to this year’s programme. Their music reflects the breadth of the contemporary Cork scene moving across soul R&B pop folk and other influences while sitting naturally within a festival programme that stretches from jazz and blues to electronic music hip-hop and Afrobeat.
Headliner Annie Mac will perform a late-night set at Cork Opera House. Muireann Bradley whose guitar playing and country-blues sound have made her one of the most talked-about young musicians in Ireland returns to the festival. 49th and Main bring their blend of electronic indie and pop influences to Cyprus Avenue and Caolan Ryan joins them. Alongside the Irish artists the festival will welcome major international acts including Berlioz Yussef Dayes Masters At Work Boney M featuring Maizie Williams KOKOROKO Courtney Pine Jason Moran Keyon Harrold Marcus Strickland Margaret Glaspy Joe-Armon Jones Σtella and St. Paul and The Broken Bones.
Eoin Cregan, Festival Programmer, shared: “Guinness Cork Jazz Festival has spent almost five decades bringing world-class musicians to Cork, but it has also provided a platform for generations of Irish artists at different stages of their careers. We’re incredibly proud of the Irish and Cork talent in this year’s programme and are excited to see where these artists go next.”
