Breakaway and Beatport partner to launch The Block across US festival tour
- Undrtone Blog
- May 8
- 2 min read
Breakaway Music Festival and Beatport have announced a new partnership that will bring Beatport’s emerging artist platform, The Block, to three stops on Breakaway’s 2026 US festival tour.
The activation launches at Breakaway Atlanta in May before continuing through Carolina and Houston later in the year, expanding The Block’s presence across North America following its earlier UK rollout and Miami debut.
The concept is built around artist discovery. Designed as a mobile shipping container stage and talent platform, The Block focuses on giving emerging DJs direct access to festival audiences through open submissions, regional competitions and curated programming.
Four artists will be selected through the competition process to perform hour-long sets at participating festivals, sharing the stage environment alongside established international acts.
That direct integration matters. Rather than separating emerging talent from the wider festival experience, the initiative places developing artists directly within major event programming, creating clearer visibility and more meaningful performance opportunities.
The first line-up for Breakaway Atlanta has already been announced. Artists including Maesic, Twin Diplomacy, LostBoyJay and Val Fleury will join competition winners across The Block stage programming.
The partnership also reflects the wider expansion of both brands. Breakaway has continued growing its footprint across underserved US markets, while Beatport has increasingly focused on community-building initiatives through projects tied to artist development and live experiences.
That shared focus sits at the centre of the collaboration. Both companies position the initiative as a way of creating more direct pathways for emerging DJs, helping bridge the gap between online discovery and real-world festival performance.
Following successful appearances at UK festivals including Junction 2 and Creamfields Liverpool, The Block’s continued rollout into the US signals a broader push towards more accessible artist development within electronic music culture.
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