The Great Escape 2026

Brighton is calling again, and this May the sound of new music takes over the seaside as The Great Escape celebrates twenty years of discovery, unforgettable gigs, and future stars finding their moment. From 13 to 16 May 2026, the festival returns with more energy, more artists, and more reasons to wander from venue to venue chasing your next favourite act.

In a full circle moment, indie favourites The Kooks headline a special twentieth anniversary Spotlight Show at TGE Beach in partnership with NME. The Brighton formed band first played the festival back in 2006, the same year they released their multi platinum debut album Inside In Inside Out, featuring era defining tracks including Naïve, She Moves in Her Own Way, and Seaside. Now they return to where it all began, celebrating both the festival and an album that shaped a generation of indie fans. Luke Pritchard describes the experience as music at its most powerful, where the distance between band and crowd disappears.

Across four days, more than 450 artists will perform in over 35 walkable venues across Brighton, transforming the city into a global playground for music discovery. Over one hundred new acts join the 2026 line up, showcasing sounds that move from indie and rock to rap, R and B, electronic, pop, folk, and beyond.

Artists set to appear include Adult DVD, Dea Matrona, Bella Barbe, Wesley Joseph, Tom A Smith, The Orielles, Lauren Auder, Julia Cumming, Marsy, Pigeon, Tony Bontana, Heidi Curtis, Matthew Ifield, and Why Horses?, alongside many more rising names from around the world.

Whether you are discovering tomorrow’s headliner in a tiny room or dancing by the sea at sunset, The Great Escape remains the festival where new music begins. Tickets are on sale now at greatescapefestival.com. See you in Brighton.