The Great Escape has unveiled its full festival schedule for its 2026 edition in Brighton, alongside a fresh wave of 43 artists joining those already announced, its complete roster of stage hosts, and the full programme for the festival’s 20th anniversary conference. The four-day event runs from 13-16 May across 35+ walkable venues in Brighton, with tickets on sale now at greatescapefestival.com.
Among the newest additions to the line-up are neo-soul voice Nectar Woode, experimental outfit Mandy, Indiana, and post-punk electronic act Working Men’s Club, alongside Gabriella Cilmi, Walt Disco, Lizzie Esau, Rafferty, Oumy, and international names including La Plata, Tian Qiyi, showmore, and BANSHIMOKU. The full schedule is now accessible via the official The Great Escape mobile app, available to download for free, which allows fans to navigate 450+ artists, build personalised schedules, and receive live on-site updates.
Stage hosts for 2026 include media partners Billboard UK, BBC Introducing, Clash, DIY, Dork, Kerrang!, NME, Notion, So Young, The Independent, and The Line of Best Fit, alongside live agencies ITB, ROAM, and WME, management company Raw Power, and independent labels Bella Union, Hospital Records, Rough Trade, Transgressive Records, and Third Man Records. A major development this year sees NME join The Great Escape as a brand new media partner, with the tastemaker outlet hosting a debut showcase at The Old Market on Friday featuring Any Young Mechanic, Chanpan, Girl Scout, and Mandy, Indiana.
Wednesday 13 May kicks off the festival’s now-established four-day format with The Line of Best Fit hosting a showcase at Green Door Store featuring Sword II, The Healing Power of Horses, Pollyfromthedirt, and PISS, while BBC Introducing Sussex and Surrey takes over Concorde 2 with sets from Winter Gardens, Gilska, Room Service, and Lemonsuckr. On Thursday, New Zealand returns as Lead Country Partner with two showcases at Patterns, while highlights across the city include a 20th anniversary celebration from Raw Power at The Old Market, Clash’s two-floor Patterns takeover, and BBC Radio 1’s Jodie Bryant hosting a showcase at Revenge.
Friday sees The Great Escape spotlight show arrive at Daltons via The Independent, with Peaches supported by Bimini at the Brighton Dome Concert Hall. The Late Escape after-hours programme will be led that evening by Hospital Records, marking 30 years of the drum and bass institution with a special collaboration alongside b:electronic, featuring Etherwood, Hoax, Solah, and Stay-C, with Tru Thoughts hosting Room 2. Running 11:30PM to 4AM across key Brighton venues, stand-alone Late Escape tickets are on sale now, with TGE wristband holders granted access subject to capacity.
Saturday brings the festival to a close with a beach showcase from Get In Her Ears featuring Jessie Mac, Steel., YAKKIE, The Baby Seals, and Problem Patterns, while Bella Union heads to Quarters with Family Stereo, My Precious Bunny, LuxJury, Patche, and Congratulations. New for 2026 is the festival’s New Press initiative, giving emerging media platforms their own stages, with highlights including The New Age Magazine x Still Listening at Horatio’s, Crafting Room at Komedia, and Kinda Weird at Patterns. Dork closes out the weekend with the festival’s official closing party at an undisclosed venue, with a secret headliner still to be revealed.
The Great Escape Conference also reveals its full schedule today, headlined by a keynote conversation between Peaches and TRANS VOICES co-founder ILĀ, presented by The Independent, alongside new panels from PPL, PRS, and AWAL. Marking its own 20th anniversary, the conference also sees the return of speed networking sessions connecting delegates with festival bookers, live agents, music supervisors, and promoters. The conference runs from Wednesday 15 to Friday 17 May.
Returning industry partners for 2026 include ACS, AWAL, Bandcamp, Downtown Music, PPL, PRS Foundation, PRS For Music, Qobuz, SESAC, The Orchard, Vevo, and Virgin Music, alongside country and trade partners CIMA, M For Montreal, CNM, Zeitgeist, Music from Ireland, NOMEX, Creative Scotland, Showcase Cymru, Export Music Sweden, and Swiss Music Export. Tickets for all four days are on sale now at greatescapefestival.com.
Image credits:
In this article: The Great Escape Festival, Brighton, Nectar Woode, Working Men’s Club, Gabriella Cilmi, Walt Disco, Lizzie Esau, Rafferty, Oumy, BBC Music Introducing, Clash, Kerrang!, NME, The Independent, The Line of Best Fit, WME Group, Bella Union, Hospital Records, Rough Trade, Transgressive Records, Third Man Records, New Zealand, Sword II, Brighton Dome, BBC Radio 1, Bimini Bon-Boulash, Ticketmaster, The Haunted Youth, The Lottery Winners, Lime Garden, Etherwood, Tru Thoughts, Problem Patterns, PRS Foundation, PRS for Music, AWAL, Bandcamp, The Orchard, Vevo, Virgin Music, M for Montreal, Creative Scotland, Export Music Sweden. Generated by Wikidata Schema Link Builder.
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