21 UK music creators receive support to attend SXSW 2026 through PRS Foundation’s International Showcase Fund
- Supported artists across the UK include critically acclaimed JayaHadADream, Kofi Stone, and Gwenno
PRS Foundation, the UK’s leading charitable funder of new music and talent development, announces today the 21 UK artists receiving support through the International Showcase Fund to attend SXSW festival in Austin, Texas USA from 12th March 2026.
The artists receiving support to showcase are:
Yes and Maybe (Scotland)
The artists selected for International Showcase Fund support to attend SXSW represent some of the most exciting talent from across the UK making waves and in different genres, including the critically acclaimed and Welsh Music Prize winner, Gwenno, and Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition 2024 winner JayaHadADream alongside those that have sold out shows recently such as Kofi Stone.
International Showcase Fund supported Ben Ellis said,
“The PRS Foundation International Showcase Fund will help me showcase my music internationally, build meaningful industry relationships, grow my audience beyond the UK, and create new touring and creative opportunities.”
International Showcase Fund supported JayaHadADream said,
“The International Showcase Fund is crucial for expanding my global presence, allowing me to focus on performing internationally, building industry connections, and turning growing momentum into sustainable, long-term opportunities.”
The full schedule of official showcases for artists supported by the International Showcase Fund will be available on PRS Foundation’s website in the coming weeks.
All International Showcase Fund artists will additionally be listed on UK Sounds, the collaborative initiative led by PRS Foundation in partnership with several music export organisations and partners in the UK. UK Sounds acts as an online hub offering a national umbrella brand to highlight various stakeholders and strengthen UK music’s visibility and presence at overseas festivals and conferences. Find out more about UK Sounds and the UK artists and UK showcase presenters at this year’s SXSW: https://uksounds.prsfoundation.com
Joe Frankland, CEO at PRS Foundation said,
“We’re delighted to be supporting 21 exciting music creators from across the UK to travel to Austin, Texas this year, and showcase to the US and wider international music industry at one of the biggest festival conferences in the world. Together with our International Showcase Fund (ISF) partners, as we celebrate 20 years of the fund, we’re incredibly proud that this vital investment enables the opportunity of showcasing at overseas festivals and conferences a reality for our festival headliners of the future, playing a pivotal role in the music creators career development and music export for the UK’s economy as seen in the ISF impact report.
“Additionally, our collaborative initiative UK Sounds returns to SXSW to amplify the UK’s collective presence at the festival this year, promoting UK artists and showcase presenters while facilitating connections with international delegates and the festival and conference. Sign up for the UK Sounds SXSW Daily Email for all the top tips for each day and visit uksounds.prsfoundation.com for everything you need.”
The International Showcase Fund is run by PRS Foundation in partnership with Department for Business and Trade, Arts Council England, British Underground, Musicians’ Union, Creative Scotland, PPL, Wales Arts International, Arts Council of Northern Ireland and British Council. It offers vital and timely support for artists to take their first steps into international territories by enabling them to perform at key showcasing festivals and conferences such as SXSW, Reeperbahn Festival, Zandari Festa, Womex, Africa Rising, Eurosonic, Jazzahead! and MUTEK which attract thousands of people working in the music industry from every corner of the globe.
In the fund’s 5 year report spanning 2019-2024 the International Showcase Fund helped generate £6.7 million for the UK music industry and UK economy and for every £1 of the UK Government’s contribution to the fund, music creators generated £26.90 in total revenues.
Listen to the International Showcase Fund and all the UK artists performing at SXSW 2026 on the UK Sounds playlist on YouTube Music.
