Festival News - NZ named lead country partner for The Great Escape 20th anniversary May 2026 in UK - 10th March 2026
The New Zealand Music Commission and Live Nation New Zealand have launched a landmark partnership naming New Zealand as the Lead Country Partner for the 20th anniversary of The Great Escape in Brighton, UK, with support from the Ministry for Culture and Heritage and The British Council.
Photo Credit - Nicola Sandford
This partnership serves as a premier international platform for Aotearoa’s talent. As Lead Country Partner, New Zealand will host an exclusive industry panel, high-level networking events to promote NZ music worldwide, and a dedicated takeover of the iconic Brighton venue Patterns on Thursday 14th May, featuring curated showcases of NZ artists.
The 2026 NZ delegation will include Ringlets, Office Dog, Ratbag, Hemi Hemingway, and Jude Kelly, plus just-announced Luca George, Muroki, Vera Ellen, WHO SHOT SCOTT? and LEAO. These 10 artists will perform alongside over 130 international acts and spotlight headliners Peaches and The Kooks.
Alan Holt, International Manager for the New Zealand Music Commission said: “I am thrilled for New Zealand to be the lead country at The Great Escape in 2026. The Great Escape has always been a significant part of the New Zealand Music Commission’s international activities and has consistently been a joy to attend both from a networking/showcasing perspective and as a place to experience fantastic music. Over the past few years we have proudly supported artists like Aldous Harding, The Beths, DARTZ, LEISURE, NO CIGAR and Teeks — to name just a handful — and this year we along with Live Nation New Zealand look forward to introducing the world to a new and sparkling collection of some of the best new music NZ has to offer!”
Mark Kneebone, MD of Live Nation Aotearoa, said: “We’re stoked to be teaming up with the NZ Music Commission for the 20th anniversary of the Great Escape festival. Live Nation is about more than just putting on shows - it’s about being a genuine part of the local scene and helping our artists break through on the world stage. This partnership is a massive opportunity to give Kiwi talent a global platform, while also bringing that international energy back home to keep the local industry inspired and growing.”
Artist Jude Kelly said '“How fun! I’m honoured to be a part of this year's Great Escape. Performing live is undoubtedly the purest and most fun form of my art, I’m looking forward to bringing the show to the UK this May.”
The Great Escape is renowned as the world’s primary destination for new music discovery, featuring 450 emerging artists across 30+ venues and a pop-up site on Brighton Beach. It serves as a vital hub for the global music industry to scout the ‘next big thing’ alongside a concurrent professional conference featuring insightful panels, topical debates, keynote speeches and networking opportunities.
