Arunachal: Ziro Festival of Music 2026 to feature over 40 global, Indian artists

The 13th edition of the Ziro Festival of Music will be held from September 24 to 27 in Arunachal Pradesh’s Ziro Valley, featuring more than 40 artists from India and abroad, organisers said.

The four-day festival will bring together musicians from Northeast India, other parts of the country and several countries, including Algeria, Thailand, Palestine, Switzerland, South Africa, South Korea, Nepal, Ireland, the Philippines and Sri Lanka.

The lineup includes Indian artists such as Sukhbir, Sneha Khanwalkar, Midival Punditz, Shakthisree Gopalan, Shanka Tribe and Parikrama. Northeast India will be represented by artists including Tripura busker Sukesh Suklabadya, Manipur’s Chingleipak Collective and Yelhomie, Sikkim’s Tribal Rain, Nagaland’s Temsu Clover, Mizoram’s Mood Station, Assam’s Novo and Arunachal Pradesh’s David Angu.

Bihari rapper Shikriwal, Kaali Duniya, Karan Kanchan and Swara Oza are also part of the lineup, along with classical musicians Sarwar Hussain and violinist Apoorv Krishna.

International performers this year include Sri Lankan singer Yohani, Algeria’s Fati Teniri, Palestinian-French producer Isam Elias, Nepal’s Phosphenes, Thailand’s GYMV, the Philippines’ Talahib and South Korean act Moher.

For the first time, the festival will introduce ‘Cosmos’, an informal space for spontaneous jams, artist interactions and unscripted performances.

The festival will also host the final chapter of ‘Circuit Mixers’, an international exchange supported by the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia. The programme will feature electronic artists Zequenx from India, Naledi Chai from South Africa, and Lua Jungck and Owelle from Switzerland, following earlier residencies in Johannesburg and Montreux.

Irish folk band Saltaire will participate in a cultural residency involving workshops and collaborations with local musicians. The exchange is supported by Culture Ireland and the Embassy of Ireland in New Delhi and marks the festival’s first partnership with Ireland.

The festival will also showcase the cultural traditions of the host Apatani community. The programme includes the traditional Daminda harvest dance, a presentation by the Apatani Women’s Association Ziro (AWAZ), and workshops on traditional crafts, including paddy flute (Elu) making and pottery.

Ziro Festival of Music co-founder and director Bobby Hano said discovery and cross-cultural exchange remain central to the festival’s objective.