The Great Escape festival has significantly bolstered its roster for the 2026 edition, announcing more than 100 emerging music acts set to perform in Brighton, England. This year marks a major milestone as the festival celebrates its 20th anniversary.

Key Dates and Milestone Celebration

The highly anticipated 20th-anniversary event is scheduled to take place from May 14 through May 17, 2026. The festival continues its tradition of showcasing the freshest talent in the music industry.

Newly Confirmed Artists for 2026

A wave of new names was revealed on Tuesday, expanding the lineup considerably. Among the notable additions are Bella Kay and Sassy 009.

The extensive list of new performers includes Arxx, Ben Ellis, Bimini, Ceebo, Chase Icon, Do Nothing Gans, Girl In The Year Above, Girl Scout, Kerr Mercer, Madmadmad, Max Winter, My First Time, PVA, Sunday Mourners, The Orchestra, The Skinner Brothers, Tom Rasmussen, Tommy Barlow, Tsatsamis, Xanadu, and Y + More.

Bella Kay Makes U.K. Return

The inclusion of Bella Kay is particularly significant, marking her first live performances in the U.K. since her recent success. Her track “iloveitiloveitiloveit” achieved substantial chart success earlier this month.

Specifically, the song peaked at number 2 on the U.K.’s Official Singles Chart. It also reached number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Other Notable Additions

Rising talent Nectar Woode is also slated to appear on the bill. Other confirmed acts joining the roster include Ben Willis and The Haunted Youth.

Festival Programming Highlights

The Deep End venue, situated on the Brighton seafront, will host a dedicated stage during the festival. Indie-rock group KEO is set to headline the programming at this venue on May 15.

The Great Escape has a history of hosting performances from artists who later achieve massive success. Past performers include Adele, Stormzy, Dua Lipa, Sam Fender, George Ezra, Lewis Capaldi, and Fontaines D.C.

Mercury Prize winners English Teacher previously headlined the Billboard U.K. Live event in 2025.