The Great Escape Announces First Wave of Artists for 2026 Lineup

The Great Escape has confirmed an early wave of performers for its 2026 edition in Brighton, with acts spanning the U.K., Sweden and Nigeria among the first names announced.

The festival returns to Brighton from May 13–16, 2026, showcasing hundreds of emerging artists from around the world.

On Wednesday morning (Sept. 17), organizers revealed the initial 50 artists set to appear at next year’s festival. The announcement includes French multi-instrumentalist Max Baby, Irish indie-pop artist Annie-Dog, Australia’s Teenage Joans, electronic duo SISTRA and Toronto songwriter Clothesline from Hell. Promoters say the final lineup will reach roughly 450 acts.

Ahead of the main event, The Great Escape will stage a First Fifty live showcase across east London this November. Several of the newly announced acts will perform across eight venues in the capital, including Moth Club, Oslo and The George Tavern.

Presale tickets for each First Fifty show begin at £8 (approximately $10.91) and are available through The Great Escape’s mailing list. The general sale for all shows opens at 10 a.m. BST on Friday, Sept. 19 via the festival’s official website.

Organizers also named Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) as the festival’s lead charity partner for 2026. Attendees will be offered the opportunity to add a donation to CALM during ticket purchase.

Simon Gunning, CEO of CALM, said music has long been central to the charity’s outreach and that partnering with The Great Escape offers a powerful way to amplify suicide-prevention work and reach people who need support.

The 2025 edition featured performances from English Teacher, Daffo, RabbitFoot, Courting, My First Time, Westside Cowboy and RIP Magic as part of the inaugural Billboard U.K. Live takeover.

For tickets and full details about The Great Escape 2026, visit the festival’s official site.

Presale signup: The Great Escape mailing list

Official site: greatescapefestival.com

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