Nick Ward, Miss Kaninna Heading To The UK's The Great Escape Festival

The Great Escape, a UK music festival and showcase event, has announced the first 50 acts to appear in next year’s program. In good news for Australian artists, rising local artists can be spotted on the bill.

Nick Ward, who recently released his indie album, House With The Blue Door, appears on the bill near subversive hip-hop artist Miss Kaninna, soulful singer-songwriter Tia Gostelow, and Perth indie rockers South Summit. Representing New Zealand is NO CIGAR.

It’s worth noting that many more Australian acts will very likely join the line-up, with The Great Escape usually locking in 450 artists from across the globe. In 2023, The Great Escape starred numerous Aussie artists, including C.O.F.F.I.N., Mia Wray, Jem Cassar-Daley, The Rubens, Teen Jesus And The Jean Teasers, RVG, Eliza Hull, Pacific Avenue, Tasman Keith, and more.

Check out the poster of the first 50 acts appearing at the May 2025 festival below.

This year’s edition of the music festival and showcase event was marred in controversy, as 25% of the acts who were set to perform pulled out weeks and days before the event took place in protest against one of the festival’s sponsors, Barclay’s Bank.

Artists protested against the company for its financial involvement in companies that supply arms to Israel, with the artists unwilling to support the festival during the ongoing Israel-Gaza war. 

The artists boycotting Barclays and The Great Escape festival made the call due to the bank’s alleged ties to arms manufacturers who have been accused of “profiteering” from the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

According to Bands Boycott Barclays organisers, 163 artists, four showcases, and two venues quit this year’s Brighton-based festival.

The boycott found supporters and detractors, with Massive Attack showing support by posting on X (formerly known as Twitter), “Whether it’s apartheid and genocide in Gaza, or the funding of new fossil fuel extraction worldwide, Barclays has repeatedly proven it is without conscience. Barclays, therefore, has no place in any music festival or any cultural event. Solidarity with and total respect to all musicians who’ve taken this stand.”

However, Nick Cave revealed that he didn’t support the boycott, telling a conflicted musician thinking of dropping off The Great Escape festival to “play”.

NME reports that Barclays pulled out of supporting the festival for the 2025 event last month.

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