Live finals and venues

Heats

The finals will be taking place at venues across the city in June. The venues are The Box, The Tin Music and Arts, Elles and The Khushi Grill Spon End.
 

Dates, times and locations

Acoustic - Elle's Two Friargate, Station Square, Coventry CV1 2FP 
Thursday 11 June 2026 from  6pm 

Contemporary - Elle's Two Friargate, Station Square, Coventry CV1 2FP 
Thursday 11 June 2026 from 6pm 

Desi - The Khushi Grill Spon End 91-92 Spon End, CV1 3HF
Thursday 18 June 2026 from  6pm 

DJ/Dance - The Box at FarGo Far Gosford St, CV1 5ED
Tuesday 9 June 2026 from 6pm 

Groups - Elle's Two Friargate, Station Square, Coventry CV1 2FP 
Thursday 11 June 2026 from 6pm 

Indie - The Box at FarGo Far Gosford St, CV1 5ED
Monday 15 June 2026 from 6pm 

Rap, Reggae and Afrobeats - The Box at FarGo Far Gosford St, CV1 5ED
Tuesday 9 June 2026 from 6pm 

Rock - The Box at FarGo Far Gosford St, CV1 5ED
Monday 15 June 2026 from 6pm 

Under 18s - The Tin Music and Arts Units 1 - 4, The Canal Basin, CV1 4LY 
Date TBC

 

Judges and voting

The judges for the main heats will be organised by Godiva Festival organisers, through a fair and inclusive process. Judges are selected through a judging pool based on our judges criteria which covers music industry experience, music knowledge, specific genre knowledge and equality, diversity and inclusion.

Each venue can hold as many heats as they deem necessary – the winners for each genre of music will go on to perform on the Godiva Festival Main Stage.

Both the judges and the audience will vote at the heats. Their votes will then be used to select the winners.