Australia set to be the focus for next year’s The Great Escape Festival

Australia will be the focus country of next year’s The Great Escape in the UK.

The conference and showcase event, which runs May 9—11, has a reputation in the global music industry for being the place to discover sharp emerging acts.

The Great Escape has significantly showcased Australian acts through the years, significantly so because of the work of export body Sounds Australia.

The Great Escape co-founder Martin Elbourne visits Australia often and was appointed by the former South Australian government as its Thinker In Residence to formulate its music strategy.

Sounds Australia will work with The Great Escape to produce a range of events to put domestic acts at the forefront.

Sounds Australia’s flagship Aussie BBQ  will return to Brighton Beach as will Sound Gallery at KOMEDIA.

Over the last nine years, these showcases have acted as platforms for acts that went on to have global success.

These included Courtney Barnett, Dean Lewis, DZ Deathrays, Remi, SAFIA, Gordi, Julia Jacklin, Methyl Ethel, Confidence Man, Middle Kids, Stella Donnelley, Skegss and Amyl and the Sniffers.

Playing at the 2019 event are:

Allysha Joy

Body Type

Cable Ties

Emerson Snowe

JEFFE

Pagan

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets

Sons of the East

TROPICAL FUCK STORM

Skyned

“The Great Escape has been working with Sounds Australia for the past 10 years and this year we are taking our longstanding and valued partnership one step further again and celebrating Australia as our lead international partner for 2019,” says The Great Escape’s general manager Lyndsey Boggis.

“Year on year we have been gifted with the very best musical talent coming from a country so rich, vibrant and diverse of a culture.

“We are very much looking forward to another year of incredible Aussie talent joining us in Brighton and help push the development of Australian artists into the UK market and our international delegates.”

Complementing the showcasing activity, Sounds Australia’s Luncheon will once again take place in partnership with the High Commission of Australia in London at The Chilli Pickle in Brighton.

An event that has seen significant and tangible outcomes for Australian industry and artists at The Great Escape, it serves as an invaluable foundation for the suite of showcasing events that follow.

“We are thrilled to be heading to Brighton this May as lead country, as we celebrate Sounds Australia’s 10th year of exporting Australian music to the UK,” opines Sounds Australia’s executive producer Millie Millgate.

“We cherish our partnership with The Great Escape team and recognise the incredible impact the festival has had for countless Australian artists and music businesses in the last decade.

“Year upon year The Great Escape has been the vehicle from which Australian artists have secured deals, garnered media attention and converted new audiences and we believe the Australian focus in 2019 will continue to deliver these career-building outcomes”.

The celebrations kicked off early, with Australian artists Emerson Snowe, JEFFE and SKYND featuring in The Great Escape’s FIRST FIFTY series of shows that took place across London this week.

An official launch will be held at Australia House in London next April.