Get Involved
Sŵn Festival’s Apply to Play scheme is back for 2026!
Sŵn Festival will be taking place on the 15th, 16th and 17th October this year across 11 grassroots music venues in Cardiff City Centre.
The opportunity to play Sŵn 2026 will give you the platform to play amongst the best emerging talent, music lovers and industry professionals alike.
This year apply to play is a little different. We will be opening applications to Welsh artists only.
For the first time, successful applicants will receive 1-1 mentoring from industry professionals at Sŵn Connect.
Artists that are successfully selected from the apply to play scheme will receive a payment for their performance, festival catering, festival backline and a wristband for the whole music festival and access to our music conference, Sŵn Connect.
ELIGIBILITY TO APPLY
- One member of your act must be born in Wales or live in Wales
- 18 years of age on or before 15th October 2026
- You will need to be available on the 15th, 16th & 17th October for your allotted performance slot and 1-1 mentoring meetings
If you would like the opportunity to play at Wales’ leading music discovery festival please fill out the form below.
Applications will be open from the 8th July 2026 and applications will close on the 22nd July 2026. We will aim to get back to the successful applicants by the 12th August 2026.
applications closed
Sŵn Connect: Mentorship Programme
As part of our conference, we’re inviting Welsh artists and young industry to apply to take part in our Mentorship Programme which connects Welsh artists and industry with UK wide music industry specialists such as agents, managers, publishers, promoters, festivals, lawyers and producers.
Successful candidates will have guaranteed access to:
- Full Sŵn Connect conference programme
- 1:1 Meet Ups with Industry Mentors
- Sŵn Connect Mixers
- Refreshments and light bites provided at all conference activity
This is a unique opportunity to engage with the wider music industry face to face across 3 days.
Apply to Volunteer
Sŵn Volunteers cover a whole range of tasks and duties across the festival. These roles will be customer and artist facing and so we’re looking for confident, hardworking and friendly people to join our Sŵn Festival team.
Please ensure that you read up on our voluntary roles on our website before applying. Due to the sheer number of applications we get for Sŵn Festival Volunteers we will ask you to choose three voluntary roles in order of desirability. We will aim to place you within your first choice role if you are successful in your application but please be aware that this may not be the case.
ESSENTIALS
- You will need to be 18 on or before the 15th October 2026 to Apply. We will ask for photo ID evidence in the application form and on the weekend of the festival for proof of age.
- You will need to be available on at least 2 of the festival dates to qualify for volunteering.
DESIRABLES
- There will be a volunteer briefing at Clwb Ifor Bach before the festival that we would like you to attend. If you are successful in your application, we will send out an email with details.
- It is desirable if you are bilingual in Welsh and English but this is not necessary to apply to be a Sŵn Volunteer.
If you have any questions about this form or Sŵn Volunteers in general please email swnfest@clwb.net
Press Requests
We will be opening up opportunities for you to apply for a press pass for Sŵn Festival 2026, closer to the festival.