Artist in Residence 2026

Our 2026 Artist-in-Residence is Rory Friers.

Composer, producer and immersive artist, Rory’s work spans film, contemporary composition and spatial sound. As guitarist and songwriter with award-winning band And So I Watch You From Afar, he has built an international reputation for expansive, emotionally driven music.

Beyond the band, his multidisciplinary practice encompasses film scoring, orchestral composition and large-scale audiovisual installation, with work commissioned by organisations including the BBC and Ulster Orchestra. He explores how sound can be experienced physically and spatially, combining immersive audio, visuals and emerging technologies.

His work has been presented internationally at venues including the Southbank Centre, London Science Museum and Ulster Museum.

At this year’s Festival, Rory will be presenting two pieces of work, first up HOME in Studio Ulster, a sound, music and film installation offering a question; where is home and when are we there?

And closing the Festival, Rory will transform the MAC into an immersive audio-visual world, placing the audience inside the music for a concert with longtime collaborators Michael Keeney, Arco String Quartet, & The Fully Automatic Model plus surprise guests.