Immersed Festival – a multimedia event curated by creative industries students at the University of South Wales (USW) – returns to Cardiff this month.
Taking place at Tramshed on Saturday 22 March, Immersed will showcase some of the most exciting names in indie, hip-hop and dance music, led by headliners Frankie Stew and Harvey Gunn who will make their highly anticipated Welsh debut.
Known for their collaborations with artists such as Loyle Carner, Sam Tompkins, and Kojey Radical, their performance promises to be an unmissable night of high-energy and emotion from the Brighton-based rap duo.
Support artists include Porij, who will bring their energetic fusion of funk, synth pop and lo-fi to the Immersed main stage, and DJ and producer Douvelle19 who will be spinning his unique brand of garage-inspired dance music.
Now in its seventh year, Immersed is supported by Welsh Government initiative Creative Wales, and helps raise awareness for environmental charity Music Declares Emergency. Under the theme of Regeneration, the festival reimagines a sustainable future, inspiring positive change across music, film, art, theatre, and fashion.
Immersed will see more than 30 artists and bands perform across four stages, including Cardiff’s community music initiative Sound Progression. The month-long event also features an industry-leading skills development programme, sharing insights into the production processes behind the festival, as well as a careers and networking fair.
BBC DJ and presenter Huw Stephens, who is an Honorary Fellow of USW, said: “Immersed has become a welcome addition to the live music scene in Wales. Its focus on talent, creativity and production is invaluable, and the students should be proud of their professionally delivered, hugely successful event.”
Adam Williams, Dean of the Faculty of Business and Creative Industries at USW, added: “Immersed 2025 is a powerful testament to the creativity, innovation, and commitment of our students to address the biggest challenges of our time. Through the lens of Regeneration, this year’s festival is not just a celebration of music, film, art, and fashion – it’s a call to action.
“Together with Creative Wales and Music Declares Emergency, we’re reimagining what a sustainable future looks like, harnessing the energy and imagination of the next generation of creators to inspire positive change.”
Lewis Jamieson, Director of Music Declares Emergency, said: “Immersed has grown into a major event in the UK music calendar, thanks to the hard work and dedication of the team at USW. Music Declares Emergency is honoured to partner with Immersed and we look forward to this year’s work around Regeneration; a key part of the journey towards a better future for all life on earth that is often overlooked in the rightly urgent concern to arrest and reverse the climate emergency.”
