Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival and BBC ALBA have launched their third annual talent search, giving one up-and-coming act from the north or north-east of Scotland the chance to open the Hot House Stage at this year’s festival on Thursday 30 July.
The search is open to solo artists and bands of all genres, provided that at least 50% of members have a home address in the north or north-east of Scotland. The winner will not only perform at the festival but will also feature in BBC ALBA’s broadcast coverage of the event, which is available on BBC ALBA and BBC iPlayer. Coverage is funded by MG ALBA with production by Beezr Studios.
Applications opened today, Monday 1 June at 09:00, and close at 23:59 on Monday 8 June. Entries should include a bio and a link to the artist’s music, sent to tartanheart@bbc.co.uk. A judging panel made up of representatives from BBC, Belladrum, and an independent musician on this year’s bill will then select a shortlist before the decision goes to a public vote, expected to open on Friday 12 June and close at 09:00 on Friday 19 June.
Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival takes place from Thursday 30 July to Saturday 1 August 2026, with a line-up that includes Callum Beattie, The Human League, James, Mika, Brooke Combe, Rizzle Kicks, Sigala, Skerryvore, Mànran, Symphonic Ibiza, Janet Devlin, and Lottery Winners. The festival is on course to be one of its strongest years yet, with weekend tickets selling fast amid sell-out fears.
The partnership with BBC ALBA has already produced two memorable festival-opening sets. Singer-songwriter Cameron Ferguson, who now fronts the band brittle, won the inaugural 2024 search. Last year’s winner, Isle of Skye-based band Falasgair, have since gone on to release their debut album, play a show at Celtic Connections, support Valtos at a sold-out Barrowlands, and appear at festivals across the country.
Calum McConnell, Commissioning Editor at BBC ALBA, said the highlight of the past two years has been watching previous winners connect with the crowd: “One of the highlights of the past few years has been seeing previous talent search winners Cameron Ferguson and Falasgair getting the festival underway, both playing knock-out sets in front of expectant crowds.”
Festival Producer Dougie Brown was equally enthusiastic about the opportunity the search creates: “Partnering with BBC ALBA to find the next wave of Scottish talent continues to be one of the highlights of our year. There is so much incredible talent out there and this is exactly the kind of platform that can change the course of an artist’s journey.”
Now in its 22nd year, Belladrum has grown into one of Scotland’s biggest family camping festivals, attracting tens of thousands of visitors each summer. Beyond the music, the event includes comedy, cabaret, spoken word, dance, drag and wrestling. Tickets and more information are available at tartanheartfestival.com.
Image credits: Belladrum
In this article: Tartan Heart Festival, BBC Alba, MG Alba, Callum Beattie, The Human League, Mika, Brooke Combe, Rizzle Kicks, Sigala, Skerryvore, Mànran, Janet Devlin, The Lottery Winners, Valtos, Barrowland Ballroom, Celtic Connections, Beauly, Inverness-shire. Generated by Wikidata Schema Link Builder.
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