Artist applications for The Great Escape 2027 are now open! Every May, The Great Escape showcases hundreds of the world’s most exciting emerging artists across venues throughout Brighton, welcoming music fans alongside thousands of international music industry professionals. The next edition is scheduled for May 12–15, 2027. Applications will remain open until 15th February 2027. Don’t be shy, apply!
About TGE
The Great Escape is a four-day music festival held every May in Brighton and Hove, England. Founded in 2006 and now marking 20 years running, it’s often compared to South by Southwest, showcasing roughly 500 emerging artists across more than 30–35 venues throughout the city — including a pop-up site on Brighton Beach. Spanning genres from indie rock and punk to hip hop and electronic music, it’s designed as a discovery festival: a place to catch new artists in intimate settings before they break into major headline slots. Alongside the gigs, it also runs an industry conference with panels, keynotes, and networking, drawing music-industry professionals scouting for the next big thing. The next edition is scheduled for May 12–15, 2027.
Apply to play
There is no charge to submit an application to play The Great Escape. The festival receives a large number of applications each year so they cannot respond to all artists with feedback. If you have not heard back by 31st March 2027 your application has not been successful this year.
TGE will announce when applications go live across our website, social channels and mailing list, so be sure to check back soon or sign up to stay informed.
Previous TGE performers include Adele, Stormzy, Ed Sheeran, HAIM, AJ Tracey, Skepta, Charli XCX, Kneecap, Sleep Token, Wolf Alice, Dave, Hozier, Lewis Capaldi and many more.
CD Baby is a proud partner of The Great Escape, supporting independent artists at every stage of their careers.