The Alternative Escape is back for 2026, returning to Brighton alongside The Great Escape from 13–16 May with its biggest and most diverse programme to date. Celebrating the spirit of grassroots discovery, The Alternative Escape once again shines a spotlight on emerging talent from across the UK and beyond — and the best part? Entry to all shows is completely free.
Running in parallel with The Great Escape, The Alternative Escape offers an open-access platform for artists, promoters and industry partners to showcase new music in intimate venues across the city. It’s a vital part of the festival ecosystem, championing the next wave of talent and giving festival-goers even more opportunities to discover their next favourite act.
For 2026, a huge range of showcase partners have come on board to curate stages and events across Brighton, including:
HOTVOX / Rock Metal Alliance (RMA) / Strummerville x Cutting Teeth / Mayway Records / Blinding Talent / BRIT / Apollo Music x White Board PR / Midnight Mango / ellevate / ACM Artists / Twenty Music / wearebusybodies. / Rockbox / Groover / VOULEZ VOUS DANSER / Planetary X x Impressive PR / Outer Town Festival / ACS x Chalkpit Ltd / SESAC / BIMM / A LEVEL MGMT / CUEW / Right Track Records and Distribution / AIM House x Scruff of the Neck x Bootlegger Presents / R3CLAIM x Upstream Artists
The full Alternative Escape schedule for 2026 is now live and available exclusively on the official Great Escape mobile app. With hundreds of performances happening across the weekend, the app is the best way to explore the line-up, plan your time in Brighton, and stay up to date with any last-minute additions or changes.
Whether you’re diving headfirst into the full festival experience or simply exploring Brighton’s buzzing music scene for free, The Alternative Escape is an unmissable part of The Great Escape week — where discovery truly happens at every turn.
Download the app now to start planning your Alternative Escape.