Deer Shed, North Yorkshire’s forward-thinking, family-friendly festival, have announced the return of their ‘Apply to Play’ artist development programme with partners EMI North. Opening today, ‘Apply to Play’ is an opportunity for emerging talent to share their music with the Deer Shed community and beyond. Deer Shed and EMI North are now accepting applications from artists based in the North of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales and welcome applications from artists from under-represented backgrounds and the Global majority.
Launched in 2023, EMI North is the UK’s first major label office to be based outside of London. Established in Leeds, EMI North is dedicated to improving the music industry infrastructure in the north of the UK; supporting and investing in northern artists and creatives and creating employment opportunities in the region through uplifting and upskilling local communities.
The winners of the Deer Shed x EMI North Apply to Play programme will receive a series of invaluable mentorship and advice sessions from the EMI North Team, guestlist allocation for friends and family to attend the festival, an EMI North goodie bag and a fully paid performance slot at Deer Shed 2026, joining a lineup that includes Sleaford Mods, Say She She, Everything Everything, The Twilight Sad, Fat Dog and many, many more as well as an incredible Big Top bill of comedians including Stewart Lee, The Adam Buxton Band and Rachel Parris.
Previous winners of the Apply To Play Programme include Neve Cariad, now signed to Earth Agency and booked to play Green Man and Left of the Dial this year; Cowboy Hunters, recently signed to ITB and Bug Teeth who have signed with Trust Artists and will be playing The Great Escape in Brighton this May.
This year’s selection panel is made up of Scott Lewis from EMI North, Megan Evans from Deer Shed Festival and Roman Tagoe, Director of Streaming at Chrysalis Records. Applications for the Apply to Play programme close at 5pm on Thursday 2nd April before the winner is picked by a panel of industry professionals.
The process is now open and the application form can be found here.
Refreshed and revitalised after last year’s sell-out 15th Anniversary celebrations and still as proudly independent as ever; the dedicated team behind Deer Shed festival are ready to transform Baldersby Park once again into a three-day wonderland of community and creativity that spotlights contemporary musical and cultural curation with big names and old friends joined by a diverse showcase of emergent and rising acts from across the creative spectrum. Dutifully designed to be a brilliant experience for all ages and this year built around the theme of ‘Labyrinth’; Deer Shed is a festival for everyone – families, friends and fans.
Megan Evans – Festival Director, Deer Shed said:
I’m delighted to be continuing our collaboration with EMI North! This Apply To Play Programme is an amazing opportunity to discover and platform the next wave of musical talent in the North. Together with EMI North, we’re committed to providing both the creative and practical support necessary to propel these artists into the future of music. We were blown away by last year’s winners and it’s really exciting to see them now forging their own paths within the industry, so we can’t wait to hear what this year’s programme has in store!”
Scott Lewis – Label Manager, EMI North said:
We’re really excited to be continuing our partnership with Deer Shed on this call out. There’s an incredible breadth of talent across the North and this opportunity supports us in discovering and platforming it. At EMI North, we see how much creative potential there is in the North and we’re committed to opportunities that will help it flourish. Working together to offer an incredible live opportunity and wider industry support will provide a significant positive impact for the selected artist. The supported artists last year have gone on to significant increases in their audience, growth in their teams and to play more live shows including further festival appearances, so we’ve seen the impact it can make. We’re aiming for more of the same this year!
Deer Shed 2026 programme:
Music:
Sleaford Mods, Say She She, Everything Everything, The Twilight Sad, Fat Dog, Angeline Morrison, Bar Italia, Bathing Suits, BCUC, Bill Ryder-Jones, Boko Yout, Brògeal, Brown Horse, Curiosity Shop, Deadletter, Dominie Hooper, False Idah, GANS, Getdown Services, James Adrian Brown, Jamie Dalton, Jasmine 4.T, Joshua Idehen, Karma Sheen, Katherine Priddy, Kayla Painter, La Sécurité, Lamisi, Lemoncello, LIFE, Lime Garden, Little Grandad, Loula Yorke, Madra Salach, Man/Woman/Chainsaw, MUCO, Murkage Dave, Natalie Wildgoose, Oneda, Plantoid, Rizan Said, Roller Disco Death Party, Seamus Fogarty, Songbird Medicine Show Featuring Jack Francis And Hattie Whitehead, Sorry, St. Catherine’s Child, Tessa Rose Jackson, The New Eves, The North, Theatre, Working Men’s Club, Y
Comedy:
Stewart Lee, The Adam Buxton Band, Rachel Parris, Andrew O’Neill, Christian Brighty, Frankie Monroe & Friends, Jessica Fostekew, Jonny & The Baptists, Katie Pritchard, Laura Lexx, Lil Wenker, Mr Handsome, Olaf Falafel, Paul and Molly Try Herons, Plastic Jeezus, Rajiv Karia, Shelf, Su Mi, Sunjai Arif, Toussaint Douglass
Lit & Spoken Word:
Stewart Lee in conversation with Sleaford Mods, 101 Part Time Jobs Live with Special Guest, Do I Detect A Problem? Live with Special Guest, 168 SONGS OF HATRED AND FAILURE : A History of Manic Street Preachers By Keith Cameron
Shows:
Elton Scone, Jonnie One Biscuit, Kapow Wrestling, She’s Got Brass, The Dark Room with Jon Robertson, Trufts
Cinema:
Labyrinth Masquerade Ball with Orange Shade Productions, Sheffield Doc Fest, London International Animation Festival, One Bum Cinema Club, The Maze Runner, Elio, Labyrinth
