Published: 21 Apr 2022
Wide Days Showcase Acts 2022, images courtesy of Wide Days CIC. Top left to right: Alex Amor, Taahliah, Hamish Hawk, Blair Davie. Bottom left to right: Dead Pony, Kathryn Joseph, Memes, Bemz.
A record 17 Scottish acts have been selected to perform at leading music industry gathering, The Great Escape Festival, which takes place in Brighton from 11 – 14 May 2022.
The diverse range of artists features a cross-section of emerging talent including hip-hop, post-punk, soul, dream pop and techno-infused electronic pop.
The festival includes two afternoons of acts under the banner Scotland At The Great Escape, which is supported by Creative Scotland and takes places in the One Church venue from 12pm – 5pm on Thursday 12 and Friday 13 May. The first day features Blair Davie, MEMES, Taahliah, Kathryn Joseph and BBC Introducing act of the year, BEMZ. Day two’s line-up features Retro Video Club, Medicine Cabinet, Dead Pony, Alex Amor and Hamish Hawk.
In addition to the artists playing the 'Scotland at The Great Escape' showcases, Gallus, Bonnie Kemplay, Swim School, Tamzene, Vlure and Voodoos are all set to play the festival.
Moreover, a special reception hosted by Scotland’s music convention, Wide Days, in partnership with Creative Scotland, provides an opportunity for artists and music professionals to meet their international peers at what has become one of the most popular gatherings at the event.
Taking place at the Old Ship Hotel, from 5.30pm – 7.30pm on Thursday 12 May, it attracted over 500 registrations from conference attendees and musicians from 31 countries, at the last in-person edition of the Brighton event in 2019.
The activities form part of a wider programme of international Initiatives supported by Creative Scotland, and being delivered by Wide Events CIC throughout 2022.
Designed to provide developmental and promotional support to a broad range of artists and music industry professionals, the company has already hosted showcases and receptions at Future Echoes (Sweden), SXSW (USA) and will have a presence at other international industry events later in the year.
The week after The Great Escape, Wide Events CIC will present the 13th edition of the Wide Days convention in Edinburgh on 19-21 May, bringing together the country’s music industry to connect and participate in sessions with industry delegates from across the UK, Europe and the rest of the world.
Supported by Creative Scotland, it will also showcase a selection of emerging talent participating in an international talent development programme supported by PRS Foundation.
Wide Events CIC Director Michael Lambert said: “The Great Escape is a key fixture in the international music industry calendar, and we are delighted to see so many diverse acts from Scotland showcasing next month. This reflects a boom in Scottish talent, with acts such as The Snuts, Mogwai and Ewan McVicar all enjoying huge success in 2021.
"Over the past few years, we have hosted one of the busiest receptions at the festival, connecting our artists and music professionals with the rest of the world. We very much look forward to inviting our international friends for some deep-fried snacks and great music from Scotland!”
Creative Scotland’s Music Officer Jamie Houston said: “Scotland's dynamic music scene is brimming with talent across every genre. The Scottish Showcase at The Great Escape presents a vital opportunity for a snap shot of these musicians to showcase their talents at the UK’s largest gathering of music industry, and make the all-important connections enabling them to take the next step in their career.
"We are particularly proud to support such a strong line-up this year, reflecting the diversity of exciting acts that continue to push boundaries in Scotland and across the world. TGE is among a range of the high profile events where Scotland’s music will have a presence delivered by Wide Days, supported by Creative Scotland.”
Find out more about the Scottish artists showcasing at The Great Escape.
Creative Scotland is the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries across all parts of Scotland distributing funding provided by the Scottish Government and The National Lottery. Further information at creativescotland.com. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Learn more about the value of art and creativity in Scotland and join in at www.ourcreativevoice.scot
Wide Days takes place in Edinburgh every spring and combines an innovative conference with a showcase presenting six emerging Scottish acts. In 2014 it was named Best Networking Event at the Yearly Music Convention Awards (the honour can only be won once) and an economic impact study, conducted by Charlotte Wilson Research Services, found that it generated over £13m of business in its first nine years. Find out more at www.widedays.com.
Tel: +44 (0)131 463 3233
Email: press@widedays.com
