WaterBear Artists to Perform at The Great Escape Festival 2026
Musicians from WaterBear – The College of Music will be performing at The Great Escape Festival 2026, while also working across the event as part of one of the UK’s most exciting festivals celebrating emerging artists from around the world.
Contents
- WaterBear Musicians at The Great Escape Festival 2026
- Which Artists Are Performing at The Great Escape Festival 2026?
- Real Career Opportunities in the Music Industry
- The WaterBear Venue and WaterBear Music Bar Join the Brighton Festival Scene
- What Music Opportunities Are Available for Students in Brighton?
WaterBear Musicians at The Great Escape Festival 2026
Through WaterBear’s music industry opportunities initiative, WaterBear artists have secured performance slots at The Great Escape music festival, gaining valuable real-world experience in front of festival audiences and industry professionals.
Both the WaterBear Venue and the WaterBear MusicBar have also been confirmed as official festival venues, placing the college right at the centre of Brighton’s live music activity during the event.
During the festival, WaterBear students will be working at the WaterBear Venue, gaining hands-on music industry work experience supporting live events, production and venue operations as part of the wider festival programme. Additional opportunities have also been offered for students to work across other venues throughout Brighton, giving them a behind-the-scenes perspective on how a major music festival comes together.
For students developing their careers in music, opportunities like these are an important step towards building real, lasting careers in the music industry.
Which Artists Are Performing at The Great Escape Festival 2026?
Several artists from WaterBear – The College of Music will be performing as part of The Great Escape lineup, showcasing their music alongside emerging artists from across the globe.
The festival is known for discovering the next generation of talent, and performing gives artists the opportunity to share their music with new audiences while experiencing the energy of one of the UK’s most influential music events.
For many musicians, performing at The Great Escape represents a major milestone in their development as artists.
The WaterBear artists performing include:
Real Career Opportunities in the Music Industry
At WaterBear, building real-world experience is a core part of the learning journey, with musicians developing practical skills alongside their studies through the college’s industry opportunities initiative.
Through this, WaterBear musicians regularly gain access to:
- live performance opportunities
- music festivals and showcase events
- masterclasses delivered by special industry guests
- music industry internships
During The Great Escape Festival, WaterBear students are also working behind the scenes at the WaterBear Venue, taking on roles such as Sound Technicians and Events Assistants. From supporting live sound to helping deliver events on the ground, these hands-on roles offer a genuine insight into how a busy festival venue operates.
Performing at events like The Great Escape, alongside gaining experience working within them, allows emerging music professionals to build the skills, confidence and connections needed to develop long-term careers in the music industry.
“We’re super excited to be playing The Great Escape this Year! We’re big fans of the festival, so it’s really cool to be playing through WaterBear – thank you!” – Krumpets
“I’m excited to play my first ever festival slot at The Great Escape!” – SPIKEMYHEART
“We cannot wait to get out there; it’s a great opportunity to see so many emerging independent artists. You don’t want to miss it!” – Milly Pye
The WaterBear Venue and WaterBear Music Bar Join the Brighton Festival Scene
As part of the wider Brighton festival scene, both the WaterBear Venue and the WaterBear MusicBar have been confirmed as official venues for The Great Escape Festival 2026.
Being part of The Great Escape places WaterBear at the heart of a city-wide network of venues that together form one of the most important platforms for emerging artists in the UK. Each year, the festival transforms Brighton into a global hub for new music, with independent venues playing a vital role in showcasing the next generation of talent.
As venues owned and operated by WaterBear – The College of Music, both spaces are rooted in the same grassroots music culture that the festival celebrates. For those studying at WaterBear, this creates a direct connection to the kind of environments where many artists begin building their careers – not just in theory, but as part of a real, working music community.
This approach is closely aligned with WaterBear’s Keeping Music Live campaign, delivered in collaboration with the Music Venue Trust. The campaign champions the importance of independent venues, recognising them as essential spaces where emerging artists develop their craft, grow in confidence and connect with audiences.
By being part of The Great Escape Festival, the WaterBear Venue and WaterBear MusicBar continue to support this ecosystem – providing a platform for new music while reinforcing the college’s commitment to helping artists find their place within it.
What Music Opportunities Are Available for Students in Brighton?
Brighton is home to one of the UK’s most vibrant live music communities, with events ranging from international festivals to grassroots gigs.
For those studying music in the city, being part of this environment offers more than inspiration – it provides real opportunities to perform, collaborate and gain experience within a thriving creative scene.
At WaterBear, we offer BA (Hons) and MA degree courses for the modern musician, offering access to music industry opportunities, 1-1 mentoring with experienced music professionals, state-of-the-art facilities and personalised guidance around your music projects.
If you’re interested in developing your music career, apply today, download our prospectus, or get in touch with our team to find out more.
FAQs
The Great Escape Festival is a major music festival held in Brighton that showcases emerging artists from around the world across multiple venues in the city.
Brighton has a long history of live music and festivals, making it one of the UK’s most exciting cities for discovering new artists and emerging talent.
Many WaterBear students gain industry experience through our partnerships with live music venues, festivals and music businesses. These opportunities are created and secured year-round by our Music Industries Team, who build relationships across the industry and connect students with real-world experiences – from live performances and festivals to behind-the-scenes roles within venues and events.
WaterBear – The College of Music
WaterBear offers BA (Hons) degree and master’s courses made for today’s musicians, artists, and industry professionals. Its colleges are based in the heart of Brighton and Sheffield, two amazing UK cities with incredible musical roots and heritage. The college also has a range of online distance learning courses.
WaterBear is a College of Falmouth University, a pioneer in creative industries education, entrepreneurship and innovation. Run by musicians for musicians WaterBear is about smaller class sizes, flexible course delivery, bespoke one-to-one mentoring and exclusive work experience and career development opportunities.