Nerve Centre

04/09/2026

🤩🎶 Tomorrow night we play host to a wonderful showcase of up-and-coming musical talent! 💫

More info below 👇

Music School Band Night – Live at The Nerve Centre

We’re back at The Nerve Centre for another brilliant night of live music from some of the city’s most exciting young musicians!

Following our last Band Night, Aero and Étre return to the stage, joined this time by Ellipsis – a brand-new band formed through the St. Columb’s School of Music Band Project. All three bands have been working away throughout the summer under the guidance of our guitar tutor Jack McHale, developing their sound, rehearsing together and getting ready to take to the stage.

Headlining the evening will be Skins, rounding off what promises to be a fantastic night of live music and a great showcase for the young talent coming through in Derry.

The Band Project is all about giving young musicians the opportunity to experience what it’s really like to be part of a band – meeting other musicians, choosing and developing repertoire, rehearsing regularly and ultimately performing together on a live stage.

Come along and support them!

Saturday 5th September
7.30pm
The Nerve Centre, Derry
Tickets £5 – available on the door or online:
https://www.stcolumbsschoolofmusic.com/events

Nerve Centre

04/09/2026

🙌 Welcome to Club Nerve, Mark O'doherty! 😎

Well, you were already a member... but how exciting it is to now welcome you as our new Drum Tutor! 🥁😁

💪🎓 With 25 years of teaching experience across Ireland's top music schools, Mark's track record speaks for itself... a 100% graded exam pass rate, with former students progressing to teaching, university, and professional music careers ✅🎶📈

🎼 🎤🎧 Mark has covered every genre while touring and recording across Ireland, the UK, Europe, Australia, Canada, and the US, with his compositional work featuring in TV shows including MTV's 'Awkward', 'Teen Wolf', BBC's 'Bloodlands', and ITV's 'Wild Ireland'. He also rose to prominence with PORTS after a last-minute stand-in televised performance at the Other Voices festival, broadcast on RTÉ and BBC, which led to further features alongside artists like Hozier and Imelda May 🤩

Mark is dedicated to one thing — equipping the next generation with the skills and confidence to build a career in the music industry.

Happy to have to have you here, Mark! 😊

👉 Read more about learning opportunities and tutoring: https://nervecentre.org/music

03/09/2026

Schools, we have another challenge for you! 🚀

What could Northern Ireland look like in 2050, and how could your pupils make it better?

The Matrix NI ‘Future Focus’ Schools’ Challenge is calling on young innovators to get creative and develop a product or solution that could improve the lives and environment of people in Northern Ireland in 2050.

Open to Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 pupils, teams will put their creativity, problem-solving and teamwork skills to the test as they develop and pitch their ideas for the future.

🏆 Prizes for winners and runners-up
🎟️ Free to enter
📅 Entries close 6 November

Shortlisted teams will be invited to the Future Focus Showcase and Awards Event at Nerve Centre on Friday 26 November.

Think big. Think differently. Think 2050. 💡

👉 Find out more: https://bit.ly/4ygyXnF

Delivered in partnership with Matrix NI and NI Science Festival

03/09/2026

🎸🎶 Originally from Belfast, singer-songwriter Chris Boldt makes his Nerve Centre debut tomorrow, Friday 4 September 🤩⚡

✍️ 🎧 Now signed with US label Outlaw Foundry — after relocating to Montana in 2023 — Chris' debut single 'Heaven’s Eyes' surpassed 10 million streams on Spotify. Expect an energetic and memorable night with a compelling set of original material that blends strong songwriting with musicianship 🙌

⚡ Chris Boldt
🗓️ Friday 4 September
⏰ Doors 8pm

👉 Book tickets: https://nervecentre.org/whats-on/chris-boldt

What's on Derry Strabane Visit Derry

02/09/2026

Check out the latest blog from the Now We're Talking Project exploring the series of podcasts produced by Nerve Centre and the project volunteers! 🎙

The group took inspiration from the broadcasting careers of folklorist, Michael J Murphy and writer, Sam Hanna Bell, interviewing individuals connected with both men and their work.

🔗 Listen to the podcasts here - https://rss.com/podcasts/now-we-re-talking-podcast-series-exploring-the-life-and-work-of-michael-j-murphy-writer-and-folk/

🔗Read the latest blog post here - https://www.proni.gov.uk/publications/now-were-talking-blog

Cuimhneamh The National Archives Cnuasach Bhéaloideas Éireann/ The National Folklore Collection

01/09/2026

📚👀 This International Literacy Day, we're inviting primary schools to join us for a free creative workshop 🎨🎓

⚡✍️ Using Adobe Express, your class can design a book cover inspired by a book of their choice. While doing so, they will explore key media literacy themes and be encouraged to think critically about the information and technology they encounter 🤔 🔍 🤖

📗 Create Your Own Book Cover
🗓️ Tuesday 8 September
⏰ 11.15am–12pm
🌐 Online

🍎 Ideal for Primary 4–7 (upper Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2)

👉 Register now: https://nervecentre.org/whats-on/create-your-own-book-cover-international-literacy-day

01/09/2026

📢 School's back! 📚✏️👩‍🏫

As the new academic year begins, as a teacher, you're probably starting to think about how to set yourself and your students up for a successful year, and as a parent, how to keep your child learning and engaged. 🤔

Our Education Manager Rachel McDermott is here to help, and will give you a little teaser of what is coming up in our Creative Learning Centre at Nerve Centre.

🔗 Read our recent blog where our Education Managers Rachel and Sarah will tell you about even more upcoming opportunities in both our Derry~Londonderry and Belfast Centres: https://bit.ly/3Ud7hS5

31/08/2026

🔴 ⏳ Extended Deadline for Light in Motion Short Film Competition submissions: Monday 7 September 2026 ⏳ 🔴

☘️🏆 Our 2026 winner for Best Irish Short, the wonderful Aaron Chalke, got in touch to tell us of how entering his short film 'The Death Notice of Eamonn McCarty' has positively shaped his experience on the festival circuit, brought him new exposure and allowed him the space to form further industry connections 🤝 🎬 😎

Thanks so much for the kind words, Aaron! We're always super delighted to hear of such supportive testimonials 😁🧡❤️💛

Foyle Film Festival is Northern Ireland's only Oscar® and BAFTA accredited short film competition, showcasing a diverse selection of homegrown across the UK and Ireland as well as international talent...

Academy Award® qualifying in:
☘️ Best Irish Short
🌍 Best International Short
🎨 Best Animated Short:

BAFTA qualifying in:
🏆 Best British Short
🏆 Best British Animated Short

Sponsored by City of Derry Crystal ❤️

👉 Submit your short film: https://foylefilmfestival.org/awards

28/08/2026

🙌 We are excited to be part of BBC Introducing Regional Partnerships, but what does that mean for us? 🤔🎶🎸🎹

In our recent blog, our Head of Music Martin McGill will talk about how Nerve Centre currently supports live music and artist development, and how this partnership will further support emerging artists and expand the opportunities available to them.

It is great to be working alongside other fantastic organisations including Glasgowbury , Oh Yeah Music Centre , Limelight Belfast , Shine Belfast and ICC Belfast | Waterfront Hall & Ulster Hall in this partnership.

👉 Read more: https://nervecentre.org/news/bbc-introducing-announcement

BBC Music Introducing

27/08/2026

We were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Eamonn Deane, a friend and supporter of Nerve Centre from its earliest days.

In this piece, Martin Melarkey reflects on Eamonn’s lasting contribution to Nerve Centre and the city’s creative and community life...

Nerve Centre was deeply saddened to learn of the death of Eamonn Deane on Wednesday 26 August 2026, community leader and founding member of Holywell Trust…