Are you an emerging act keen to get on a festival bill but don’t know where to start? With an ever-growing number of events in the calendar it can be an overwhelming process, so we’ve compiled a handy guide to UK and international festivals taking artist submissions…
Most festivals are free to enter but some may have a fee, so please read the criteria carefully and research the festival to make sure your act is suitable.
Where possible, we’ve listed closing dates. For anything without a date, it’s best to apply as soon as possible!
If you receive an invitation to play an international showcase, you can apply for funding through PRS Foundation’s International Showcase Fund. Find out more here.
We’ll be updating the list as more applications open, so make sure to bookmark this link and keep checking back for new opportunities. You can also keep an eye out for updates on our Twitter via the hashtag #Mfestivalapplications.
Good luck!
*13 March update: Supernormal Festival added to August events
* 27 March update: Larmer Tree Festival added to July events
*7 June update: Lindisfarne Festival added to August event
April festivals
The Electic, USA – Apply here
Are You Listening?, Reading – Apply here
May festivals
Liverpool Sound City – Apply here
YouBloom, Dublin – Apply here
Joshua Tree Music Festival, USA – Apply here
Common People, Oxford – Apply here
Common People, Southampton – Apply here
Hanwell Hootie, London – Apply here
Wychwood, Cheltenham – Apply here
Hogsozzle, Hertford – Apply here
June festivals
XpoNorth, Inverness – Apply here (closes 8 April)
Isle Of Wight Festival, Isle of Wight – Apply here
Bushstock, London – Apply here
Chester Live, Chester – Apply here
NXNE, Canada – Apply here (scroll down to Artist FAQs)
Montreal International Jazz Festival, Canada – Apply here (scroll down to ‘Programmation’ for the email)
Sweden Rock, Sölvesborg – Apply here
Long Division Festival, Wakefield – Apply here
Camden Rocks, London – Apply here
Strawberry Fair, Cambridge – Apply here
Beacon Festival, Breacon – Apply here
Sea Sessions, Donegal – Apply here
Black Deer Festival, Kent – Apply here (closes 13 April)
Download, Donington – Apply here (closes 1 March)
Leigh Folk Festival, Essex – Apply here
July festivals
Kendal Calling, Lake District – Apply here
Standon Calling, Hertfordshire – Apply here (coming soon, check link)
Barn On The Farm, Gloucester – Apply here
Godiva Festival, Coventry – Apply here
Shankra Festival, Switzerland – Apply here (closes 15 April)
2000 Trees Festival, Cheltenham – Apply here
The Beat-Herder, Lancashire – Apply here
Tiree Music Festival, Inner Hebrides – Apply here
Brainchild, East Sussex – Apply here
Nozstock, Herefordshire – Apply here (closes 31 March)
Camp Bestival, Dorset – Apply here
Truck Festival, Oxfordshire – Apply here
Larmer Tree, Wiltshire - Apply here (entries open for Breakthrough Music Awards for unsigned artists until 31 March)
August festivals
Supernormal Festival, Oxfordshire – Apply here (closes 30 April)
Cambridge Folk Festival, Cambridge – Apply here
Mold Live, North Wales – Apply here
Bloodstock Festival, Walton-on-Trent – Apply here (scroll down to contact Victoria Hungerford)
Bestival, Dorset – Apply here
Humber Street Sesh, Hull – Apply here
Green Man Festival, Brecon Beacons – Apply here for Green Man Rising (closes 17 May)
Vegan Camp-Out, Nottinghamshire – Apply here
Electric Fields, Dumfries and Galloway – Apply here
Off The Tracks Festival, Leicestershire – Apply here
Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival, Colne – Apply here (closes 21 March)
Boardmasters, Cornwall – Apply here
Arctangent, Somerset – Apply here
Victorious Festival, Portsmouth – Apply here (closes 29 March)
Electric Fields, Dumfries & Galloway – Apply here
Lindisfarne Festival, Northumberland - Apply here (closes 23 June)
September festivals
Moseley Folk Festival, Birmingham – Apply here
Big Sound Australia, Australia – Apply here (applications open in March)
Reeperbahn Festival, Germany – Apply here (closes 15 July)
Pop Montreal, Canada – Apply here
Lake of Stars, Malawi – Apply here (coming soon, check link)
Worcester Music Festival, Worcester – Apply here (closes 31 May)
By The Sea Festival, Margate – Apply here
Vienna Waves, Austria – Apply here (closes 31 May)
October festivals
Breakout West, Canada – Apply here (closes 20 March – half of group must meet Canadian residency requirement)
Amsterdam Dance Event, Netherlands – Apply here
WOMEX, Spain – Apply here (closes 22 March)
November festivals
NH7, India – Apply here
M For Montreal, Canada – Apply here (closes 15 May)
Iceland Airwaves Music Festival – Apply here (closes 30 June)
Most festivals are free to enter but some may have a fee, so please read the criteria carefully and research the festival to make sure your act is suitable.
Where possible, we’ve listed closing dates. For anything without a date, it’s best to apply as soon as possible!
If you receive an invitation to play an international showcase, you can apply for funding through PRS Foundation’s International Showcase Fund. Find out more here.
We’ll be updating the list as more applications open, so make sure to bookmark this link and keep checking back for new opportunities. You can also keep an eye out for updates on our Twitter via the hashtag #Mfestivalapplications.
Good luck!
*13 March update: Supernormal Festival added to August events
* 27 March update: Larmer Tree Festival added to July events
*7 June update: Lindisfarne Festival added to August event
April festivals
The Electic, USA – Apply here
Are You Listening?, Reading – Apply here
May festivals
Liverpool Sound City – Apply here
YouBloom, Dublin – Apply here
Joshua Tree Music Festival, USA – Apply here
Common People, Oxford – Apply here
Common People, Southampton – Apply here
Hanwell Hootie, London – Apply here
Wychwood, Cheltenham – Apply here
Hogsozzle, Hertford – Apply here
June festivals
XpoNorth, Inverness – Apply here (closes 8 April)
Isle Of Wight Festival, Isle of Wight – Apply here
Bushstock, London – Apply here
Chester Live, Chester – Apply here
NXNE, Canada – Apply here (scroll down to Artist FAQs)
Montreal International Jazz Festival, Canada – Apply here (scroll down to ‘Programmation’ for the email)
Sweden Rock, Sölvesborg – Apply here
Long Division Festival, Wakefield – Apply here
Camden Rocks, London – Apply here
Strawberry Fair, Cambridge – Apply here
Beacon Festival, Breacon – Apply here
Sea Sessions, Donegal – Apply here
Black Deer Festival, Kent – Apply here (closes 13 April)
Download, Donington – Apply here (closes 1 March)
Leigh Folk Festival, Essex – Apply here
July festivals
Kendal Calling, Lake District – Apply here
Standon Calling, Hertfordshire – Apply here (coming soon, check link)
Barn On The Farm, Gloucester – Apply here
Godiva Festival, Coventry – Apply here
Shankra Festival, Switzerland – Apply here (closes 15 April)
2000 Trees Festival, Cheltenham – Apply here
The Beat-Herder, Lancashire – Apply here
Tiree Music Festival, Inner Hebrides – Apply here
Brainchild, East Sussex – Apply here
Nozstock, Herefordshire – Apply here (closes 31 March)
Camp Bestival, Dorset – Apply here
Truck Festival, Oxfordshire – Apply here
Larmer Tree, Wiltshire - Apply here (entries open for Breakthrough Music Awards for unsigned artists until 31 March)
August festivals
Supernormal Festival, Oxfordshire – Apply here (closes 30 April)
Cambridge Folk Festival, Cambridge – Apply here
Mold Live, North Wales – Apply here
Bloodstock Festival, Walton-on-Trent – Apply here (scroll down to contact Victoria Hungerford)
Bestival, Dorset – Apply here
Humber Street Sesh, Hull – Apply here
Green Man Festival, Brecon Beacons – Apply here for Green Man Rising (closes 17 May)
Vegan Camp-Out, Nottinghamshire – Apply here
Electric Fields, Dumfries and Galloway – Apply here
Off The Tracks Festival, Leicestershire – Apply here
Great British Rhythm & Blues Festival, Colne – Apply here (closes 21 March)
Boardmasters, Cornwall – Apply here
Arctangent, Somerset – Apply here
Victorious Festival, Portsmouth – Apply here (closes 29 March)
Electric Fields, Dumfries & Galloway – Apply here
Lindisfarne Festival, Northumberland - Apply here (closes 23 June)
September festivals
Moseley Folk Festival, Birmingham – Apply here
Big Sound Australia, Australia – Apply here (applications open in March)
Reeperbahn Festival, Germany – Apply here (closes 15 July)
Pop Montreal, Canada – Apply here
Lake of Stars, Malawi – Apply here (coming soon, check link)
Worcester Music Festival, Worcester – Apply here (closes 31 May)
By The Sea Festival, Margate – Apply here
Vienna Waves, Austria – Apply here (closes 31 May)
October festivals
Breakout West, Canada – Apply here (closes 20 March – half of group must meet Canadian residency requirement)
Amsterdam Dance Event, Netherlands – Apply here
WOMEX, Spain – Apply here (closes 22 March)
November festivals
NH7, India – Apply here
M For Montreal, Canada – Apply here (closes 15 May)
Iceland Airwaves Music Festival – Apply here (closes 30 June)
