BIMM Music Institute at The Great Escape 2024

At this year’s Great Escape festival in Brighton, our students shone in live performances at industry networking events and at our showcase co-hosted with DIY Magazine.

As the official education partner for The Great Escape – a title we’ve held for 10 years now – we are given the chance to put our incredibly hard-working students in front of music executives, artists, publishers, promoters and artist managers from across the globe.

Over 150 students were actively involved in the running of The Great Escape. Work included building and producing stages, marketing and social media, stage managing, hosting networking events and, of course, performing.

David Rowe, Pro Vice Chancellor of Music at BIMM University, commented:

“At BIMM University we pride ourselves on delivering the academic and creative excellence that ensures our students are fully prepared for working in the creative industries. I commend my colleagues in the Creative Futures Team, who are inventive and innovative in their approach to creating opportunities with our industry partners. The success of our students is of the utmost importance to our entire team; with an 87% employability score and our determination to offer ongoing support, BIMM and our business partners set the standard for student outcomes.”

At this year’s Great Escape, we were able to platform six artists from six different BIMM campuses, including Bristol, Brighton, Manchester, London, Dublin and Berlin. Immy, Wavy Abyss, Emileo, Neckbreakers, Kathlen Morrison and Eighty Eight Miles performed at a packed stage at Dust in Brighton, which was managed by BIMM students and hosted by DIY Magazine and BIMM University.

We also took over the Leonardo Royal Hotel’s Promenade Lounge for a rammed networking lunch. Here, BIMM artists performed acoustic tracks for a buzzing room of industry luminaries while students enjoyed the opportunity to network, share and learn from the University’s business partners and other music industry insiders.

Mel Thornton, Associate Dean of Creative Futures at BIMM University, added:

“Each year, students across multiple disciplines work together to produce, build, stage manage, market, film, art direct, host and perform at The Great Escape. Their focus, energy and support for each other is remarkable to witness.

The strong engagement from our industry partners, and the feedback they share with us, play a vital role in the development of our ‘work ready’ curriculum. Our students will shape the future of the creative industries, and BIMM’s passionate industry partners contribute generously to shaping that vision.”

Each year, The Great Escape Festival provides vital performance and work experience for students, and we’re already excited for what next year will bring.