More UK artists set to showcase at Reeperbahn Festival 2026 thanks to Music Growth Package investment in PRS Foundation’s International Showcase Fund
- First round of International Showcase Fund to benefit from the government’s Music Growth Package enabling more artists to showcase at Reeperbahn Festival
- Supported artists across the UK include, 1000 Rabbits, Hana Lili, Clara Mann, SOFY and Deadwax
- New maximum grant amount of £8,250, support for songwriting camps and latest deadlines to apply for SXSW 2027 showcase support revealed
- New partnership with Northern Music Export Office for international showcasing opportunity
PRS Foundation, the UK’s leading charitable funder of new music and talent development, announces today the 9 UK artists receiving support through the International Showcase Fund to attend Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg, Germany.
This latest round of International Showcase Fund support is the first to benefit from the increased investment from Department for Business, Innovation, Science & Trade through UK government’s flagship Music Growth Package, increasing the number of invited UK artists supported to showcase at this key European festival compared to 6 artists in 2025 and 2024. Read more here.
The artists receiving support to showcase are:
- 1000 Rabbits (England – London) – showcasing on Wed 16 Sep at Molotow/Top10 – 21:35
- Clara Mann (England – South West) – showcasing on Wed 16 Sep at St. Paulie Kirche – 18:45
- Deadwax (England – Yorkshire & the Humber) – showcasing on Fri 18 Sep at BETTY/BETTY Bar – 21:40
- Della (England – North West) – showcasing on Fri 18 Sep at 25 Club – 15:10 | Fri 18 Sep at St Paulie Kirche – 23:45
- Hana Lili (Cymru / Wales) – showcasing on Thu 17 Sep at Sommersalon – 16:15 | Thu 17 Sep at BETTY – 21:30 | Fri 18 Sep at Knust/Lattenplatz – 19:15
- Lauren Auder (England – London) – showcasing on Wed 16 Sep at Nochtspeicher – 19:05
- Modern Woman (England – London) – showcasing on Sat 19 Sep at Nochtspeicher – 20:25
- SOFY (England – London) – showcasing on Fri 18 Sep at Schmidtchen – 22:35
- The Orchestra (For Now) (England – London) – showcasing on Wed 16 Sep at Molotow – 18:50
The artists selected for International Showcase Fund support to attend Reeperbahn Festival 2026 highlight the exciting talent breaking through from across the UK, such as Lauren Auder who received 7.3 on Pitchfork for this year’s ‘Whole World as Vigil’ album, and interview features such as The Orchestra (For Now) on DIY Magazine.
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. As well as UK-based showcasing artists, the platform highlights the UK-based showcase presenters at the festival such as FOCUS Wales and Dialled In. 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 Reeperbahn Festival: https://uksounds.prsfoundation.com
The increased support through the Music Growth Package enables PRS Foundation and partners to invest more in International Showcase Fund grantees, raising the maximum grant amount available to £8,250 where rising costs and mobility barriers are otherwise preventing UK based creators from seizing global opportunities. The new funding will also strengthen support for behind-the-scenes songwriters to attend international songwriting camps, as well as artists invited to perform at industry-facing festivals in countries and regions where the British Council works.
In addition to this increased support, PRS Foundation also recently announced a new partnership with Northern Music Export Office for SXSW, Austin in 2027. The new partnership will direct those artists based in the North of England that have been invited to showcase at SXSW 2027 to apply for support through International Showcase Fund. PRS Foundation and the Northern Music Export Office will jointly fund the grants for those whose applications are successful for the support. Read more here.
The application deadlines for music creators and artists based anywhere in the UK and seeking support to showcase at SXSW 2027 are 23rd September 2026, 27th November 2026 and 6th January 2027.
See all deadlines
Becci Scotcher, Senior Grants & Programmes Manager at PRS Foundation said,
“Huge congratulations to the 9 artists being supported to showcase at this year’s Reeperbahn Festival. We’re delighted that this increased investment means we can support more artists to make valuable connections this year in the German and wider European music markets and build their international careers.
“The government’s recent increase in funding, alongside our new partnership with the Northern Music Export Office, will help us continue to remove the complex barriers facing music creators and artists entering new markets. By working together, we can also make it easier for them to understand and access the international showcasing support available.
“Together with all the International Showcase Fund partners, we’re incredibly proud to raise the maximum grant amount, support attendance at songwriting camps and expand support for artists invited to showcase beyond the USA and Europe, including in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, East and South East Asia and Latin America. The fund will continue to champion the amazing talent we have across the UK, helping more artists build the momentum, networks and experience they need to tour internationally.”
2026 marks the 20th year since the launch of the International Showcase Fund back in 2006 (then called British Music Abroad). The 2019-2024 International Showcase Fund impact report showed that the 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.
The International Showcase Fund is run by PRS Foundation in partnership with Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, Arts Council England, British Underground, Musicians’ Union, Creative Scotland, PPL, Arts’ Council of Wales international agency 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, ESNS, Jazzahead! and MUTEK which attract thousands of people working in the music industry from every corner of the globe.
Find out more about International Showcase Fund
