Last updated: April 2026
Depending on the popularity of an act, these festivals may include the likes of Glastonbury and Reading/Leeds, or the smaller localised festival circuit.
Whichever festival a band is hoping to perform at, the experience will give media exposure and often the opportunity to perform to a wide audience. Whether you front a rock act, one of the many folk bands on the circuit, or one of the growing number of UK country bands, the principles below apply to almost any genre of live act.
Hard work pays off
Not surprisingly, competition for festival spots is fierce, and therefore bands who are successful are most likely to be those who are relentlessly playing shows, attracting a growing fan base and demonstrating a passion for their music. Festival promoters are much more likely to honour a hard working, yet relatively unknown band, than a band who fails to even promote their own gigs.
Whilst bands may aspire to playing the main stage at Glastonbury, the best starting point is to approach a local, small town, festival. Not only do smaller festivals tend to be easier to get onto but offer a great opportunity to network promoters, therefore gaining more gigs. Also, performing as a festival folk wedding band can be a great way to gain experience.
Utilise the press
When applying to festivals, promoters will pay close attention to the amount of press – both good and bad – a band has received. Utilising the use of a mailing list to inform people of upcoming shows will help a band make every show count.
If a band is creating enough of a buzz, journalists will eventually start paying attention, however there is no harm in inviting local music hacks to gigs. These can be local music bloggers, newspaper or magazine reporters and whilst they may not initially write a story, if they like what they hear they will likely be back for more.
Only target journalists who write about your style of music. A jazz magazine doesn’t care about your metal band!
The application process
A quality media pack is crucial when applying for all festival slots. Due to the amount of competition, the first impression means everything.
Many bands today use electronic press kits (EPKs), which are often great for presentation but do not prevent spelling mistakes, punctuation errors and dull band bios/photos. In this case, always get one or two people to read through the application and press kit before sending to a festival promoter.
If possible, use your networking skills to meet festival promoters face to face.
A successful modern EPK for festival applications will include:
- Two of the band’s best songs, but be prepared for the promoter to only listen for 30 seconds!
- A link to a recent live performance video (promoters want to see you on stage, not just in the studio).
- Streaming links to Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube, so bookers can check your monthly listener numbers and audience engagement.
- A short band bio highlighting your best qualities and USP, whether it be a passionate and exciting live show or the singer’s soulful voice.
- One or two strong press quotes from reviews or blog features.
- High quality, recent band photos (ideally a mix of live shots and a press photo).
- A basic tech rider and stage plot so the production team know what you need.
- Make it easy to follow links and find contact details – multiple phone numbers are best.
When to apply: festival application timelines
One of the most common mistakes new bands make is applying too late. If you want to play UK summer festivals, you generally need to start submitting in the autumn or winter of the previous year. By the time applications “feel” topical in spring, most established festivals have already filled their bills.
Application windows vary from festival to festival. As a rough guide, many larger UK festivals open their Apply to Play forms between September and December, with most closing by late winter or early spring. Some events shortlist and book on a rolling basis, so slots can disappear well before the official deadline – strike early rather than waiting until the last minute.
Follow the festivals you want to play on social media and set calendar reminders for when their artist submissions open each year. Reading previous years’ announcements will give you a reliable idea of the rough application window for the festivals you care about.
Where to apply: festival submission platforms
Application processes vary hugely. In 2026, UK festival bookings are typically handled through one of a few routes:
- Direct “Apply to Play” forms on a festival’s own website. This is the most common route for UK festivals and is usually free.
- Gigmit – a booking platform used by many European and UK festivals that lets artists submit once and apply to multiple events.
- Music Glue and Sonicbids – widely used EPK and application platforms, particularly for showcase festivals.
- Direct email to festival bookers, often only after you have a personal connection or recommendation.
- Booking agents, who may already have relationships with promoters of the festivals you are targeting.
Always read each festival’s submission criteria carefully. Some only accept certain genres, some charge a small submission fee, and some require specific formats (e.g. unlisted YouTube videos rather than Spotify links).
Research previous lineups for genre fit
Before you fire off an application, look at the previous two or three years of lineups for the festival you are targeting. If you can find three or four artists on those bills who sound broadly similar to you, the festival is a realistic target. If the bill is wall-to-wall DJs and you are a four-piece indie band, your application is very unlikely to land – no matter how good your EPK is.
Genre fit is one of the first things a festival booker checks. Applying to events that clearly suit your sound saves you time and protects your reputation with promoters you may want to work with in future. For general festival bands looking at the summer season, this research is often the difference between a yes and a silent rejection.
The bands who perform at festivals are predominately hard working and do not sit back, waiting for the right gigs to fall into their hands.
Particularly in local music festivals, a promoter will be interested if bands are creating enough of a buzz, therefore networking and taking an active role in a local music scene is crucial.
Most Popular Festivals
Check out our article listing the most popular music festivals in the UK alongside lots of other useful stats: UK Music Festival Statistics.
