What Aiken Promotions does

Aiken Promotions is a privately held, Dublin-based live entertainment promotion company (11-50 employees, headquarters at 55 Lad Lane, Dublin) that organizes concerts, comedy shows, theatre productions, sporting events, and podcasts across Ireland and Northern Ireland. The company's core offering is the booking, marketing, and ticketing of live music events at tier-one Irish and Northern Irish venues including Vicar Street, 3Arena Dublin, SSE Arena Belfast, and Croke Park, alongside a portfolio of six owned or operated festivals (All Together Now in Waterford, Live at The Marquee Cork, Live at The Iveagh Gardens Dublin, Forbidden Fruit Dublin, In The Meadows Dublin, and Live at The Botanics Belfast) and the annual Paddy Power Comedy Festival at Iveagh Gardens.

The business model is transaction-based promotion: Aiken books artists, secures venues, runs marketing through its website and genre-segmented email newsletter (via Hive.co), and distributes tickets primarily through Ticketmaster, with secondary sales on its own website and venue box offices. Revenue is generated principally from promoter shares on ticket sales and event fees, supported by title sponsorships (Paddy Power) and venue partnerships with Ticketmaster, Vicar Street, SSE Arena Belfast, and others. Customer segments span concert and music fans, comedy enthusiasts, festival attendees, sports fans (boxing, darts), and theatre audiences — a horizontal segmentation across entertainment genres rather than a single vertical.

Technologically, the company operates a standard event-promotion stack: a WordPress-style website with event listings and artist pages, Ticketmaster as the primary ticketing integration, Hive.co for newsletter sign-ups, and minor utilities such as Google reCAPTCHA and Gravatar. No proprietary technology platform, mobile app, or API is disclosed. The company is independently owned with no disclosed parent company, no institutional investors, and no funding rounds on record. Active operations continue with shows scheduled through 2027, including headline acts such as Westlife, Niall Horan, Sigur Rós (with the Ulster Orchestra), Celine Dion, and Nile Rodgers & CHIC, alongside a steady calendar of comedy, theatre, podcast live, and sporting events.

Name

Aiken Promotions

Legal name

Aiken Promotions

Website

https://aikenpromotions.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Aiken Promotions is a Dublin-based independent live entertainment promoter organizing concerts, comedy shows, six festivals, theatre, and sports events across Ireland and Northern Ireland, distributing tickets via Ticketmaster and partnerships with premier venues including Vicar Street, 3Arena, and SSE Arena Belfast.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Event Promotion

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (711320)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Event Promotion & Talent Buying (Promoters) (MPAGAJAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Outdoor Amphitheater & Open-Air Venue Operations (MPAGALAG), Artist Booking, Talent Buying & Agency Services (MPAGAAAF), Dance Performances (THAJAFAD)

Keywords

• Live event promotion
• Concert promotion
• Comedy festival management
• Music festival promotion
• Sports event promotion

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales and Event Promotion: Aiken Promotions generates revenue through promoting live events including concerts, comedy shows, festivals, and sporting events. Revenue comes from ticket sales, venue bookings, and artist management for events they organize across Ireland and internationally.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Aiken Promotions organizes, promotes, and sells tickets for live entertainment events across Ireland, including concerts, comedy shows, multi-day music festivals, theatre productions, and sporting events. The company books artists, secures premier venues such as Vicar Street, SSE Arena Belfast, 3Arena Dublin, and Croke Park, and distributes tickets through Ticketmaster and its own website. It also owns and operates branded festival and concert series including All Together Now, Live at The Marquee Cork, Live at The Iveagh Gardens, Forbidden Fruit, Live at The Botanics, and the Paddy Power Comedy Festival.

Product overview

Aiken Promotions is an Irish event promotion company offering a portfolio of live entertainment services across concerts, comedy, theatre, and sports. The core offering consists of concert and live music event promotion featuring international and Irish artists at major venues, complemented by comedy festival management (Paddy Power Comedy Festival), theatre productions (MAMMA MIA! musical tours), sports events (boxing, darts), and podcast live events. The festival portfolio includes All Together Now (Waterford), Live at The Marquee Cork, Live at The Iveagh Gardens (Dublin), Forbidden Fruit (Dublin), and Live at The Botanics (Belfast). All events utilize Ticketmaster for ticketing, with accessibility services and customer care policies in place.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• All Together Now: Music festival held at Curraghmore Estate, Co Waterford, Ireland during August Bank Holiday weekend
• Live at The Marquee
• Live at The Iveagh Gardens
• Live at The Botanics
• Forbidden Fruit
• In The Meadows
• Aiken Comedy Festival

Products and services

• Concert & Live Music Events Promotion and ticket sales for live music concerts featuring international and Irish artists at venues including Vicar Street, 3Arena Dublin, SSE Arena Belfast, and Live at the Marquee Cork. Targets concert and music fans across pop, rock, folk, country, and international genres.
• Comedy Shows & Festivals Promotion of stand-up comedy performances and the annual Paddy Power Comedy Festival at Iveagh Gardens, featuring international and Irish comedy talent such as John Bishop, Kevin Bridges, James Acaster, and Ruby Wax.
• All Together Now Festival Multi-day music festival held at Curraghmore Estate, Co. Waterford over the August Bank Holiday weekend, featuring camping and diverse music acts.
• Live at The Marquee Cork Annual concert series held in June-July at Live at the Marquee venue in Cork Docklands, showcasing multiple artists over several weeks.
• Live at The Iveagh Gardens Outdoor concert series held in June-July at the Iveagh Gardens in Dublin, featuring headline acts and festival-style performances.
• Forbidden Fruit Festival Annual electronic and alternative music festival held over a weekend at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin.
• Live at The Botanics Concert series held in May-June at Botanic Gardens, Belfast, featuring live music performances.
• Theatre & Musical Productions Promotion of theatrical productions including MAMMA MIA! musical tours and tribute shows such as The Mumford and Sons Story, targeting theatre and musical fans.
• Sports Events Promotion of sporting events including boxing (e.g., Katie Taylor fights at Croke Park) and darts (The Marquee Masters World Darts Superstars), targeting sports fans.
• Podcast & Digital Content Events Live tapings and events for podcasts including The Bishop Exchange Podcast and The Offload Live, featuring comedians and rugby personalities.
• In The Meadows Festival Annual music festival held at The Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, Dublin.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• TicketmastercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTicketmaster serves as the primary ticketing partner for Aiken Promotions events, handling online ticket sales across all major venues in Ireland including Vicar Street, SSE Arena Belfast, 3Arena Dublin, and festival locations.
• Paddy PowercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPaddy Power sponsors the Paddy Power Comedy Festival, organized by Aiken Promotions at the Iveagh Gardens in Dublin. The partnership marks the festival's 20th anniversary in 2026.
• The Ulster OrchestraflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for Sigur Rós world tour dates in Belfast (Waterfront Hall) and Dublin (Bord Gáis Energy Theatre), featuring the 41-piece Ulster Orchestra performing alongside the band.
• Apple MusicminorOthersNile Rodgers serves as Apple Music's Producer-in-Residence. While not a direct Aiken Promotions partnership, the artist's relationship with Apple Music is mentioned in event promotion.
• LIVE TrustminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFor Niall Horan concerts, £1 per ticket sale in the UK is donated to the LIVE Trust, which protects, expands, and supports grassroots music across the UK.
• Vicar StreetflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIreland's premier 2,000+ capacity concert venue, consistently ranked among the world's top grossing venues, regularly hosting Aiken Promotions events.
• SSE Arena BelfastflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBelfast's largest indoor arena where Aiken Promotions has delivered record-breaking shows including 72 Westlife performances at the venue.
• NBC (The Voice)minorOthersNiall Horan serves as a coach on NBC's The Voice, winning three seasons. Mentioned as part of artist's broader profile in event promotion.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SJM Concerts: UK-based promoter with strong Ireland and UK touring track record; competes head-to-head with Aiken for similar concert and comedy acts in the British Isles market.
• Festival Republic: UK-based festival and concert promoter behind Reading, Leeds, and other major events; directly comparable as a festival-focused promoter competing for similar headliners and UK/Irish audiences.
• MCD Productions: Ireland's largest concert and event promoter, directly competing with Aiken for the same international touring artists and the same premier Irish venues. Closest comparable by both market and product offering.

Emerging players

• Primary Talent International: Ireland- and UK-rooted talent agency and promoter; comparable in the comedy segment where Aiken operates the Paddy Power Comedy Festival, and adjacent on music bookings.

Broad incumbents

• AEG Presents: Major global concert promoter with European operations; competes with Aiken for routing of major touring artists into Ireland and as a venue partner at larger arenas.
• Eventim: European ticketing and live entertainment platform with promotion operations; comparable as an integrated ticketing-plus-promotion incumbent relevant to Aiken's Ticketmaster-dependent model.
• Live Nation Entertainment: Global leader in live entertainment with concert promotion, venues, and sponsorship; competes for the same global touring acts but at vastly greater scale, often as the counterparty in routing decisions for Ireland dates.

Regional players

• Kilimanjaro Live: UK independent promoter with festival and concert portfolio; comparable by format but primarily UK-focused, providing a regional reference point for Aiken's Irish operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/aikenpromotions
• Facebookfacebook.com/aikenpromotions
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aiken-promotions

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Aiken Promotions