Sunk City Artist Applications 2026
Downtown Nanaimo // May 15, 16, 17 2026
Application Deadline February 25, 2026
Don't spend too much time on this!! Be free!!
Selection Criteria:
As in years past, our proposed programming for 2026 will emphasize and celebrate community, diversity, and independent music. What this means for curation/artist selection:
-We aim to keep at least half of our performers local
-We seek to showcase underground artists whose music/art doesn't always fit at other festivals. We welcome the weird, the wild, the heavy, the experimental, the epic dance party and the totally mundane.
-We try to avoid repeating artists who played the year before (2025)--but if you're feeling keen you are welcome to apply anyway. To increase your chance of success, consider applying with a different project.
-We want to build programming that is representative of the world we live in–with talented performers across genders, ethnicity, sexual orientation, ability and age.
-Along with a diversity of performers, we aim to showcase a diversity of art forms. This means choosing artists across a variety of genres but also including visual and performance art such as dance, drag, theatre performances and movement workshops.
Things to note:
-If selected, Vancouver Island performers will be asked to do one set, and off-Island performers will be asked to do two sets.
-sets will be 30-45 minutes
-We use the same pay scale for all artists--regardless of notoriety.
-Successful applicants will be contacted by April 1st, 2026. Due to the volume of applications we receive, unsuccessful applicants will not be contacted.