The Independent is delighted to announce its exclusive news partnership with Wilderness 2024, set to take place from August 1-4, at the stunning Cornbury Park in Oxfordshire. 

The collaboration will bring attendees and readers a blend of live coverage, engaging digital and social content and exclusives, and special events.

As part of the partnership with Wilderness, The Independent will also host a feature panel discussion in The Books Tent at Wilderness, led by its Arts Editor Jessie Thompson.

The announcement comes shortly after The Independent revealed its partnerships with Mighty Hoopla, The Recipe and the Forest Live festival series. The title has also continued its partnerships with The Great Escape, Black Deer and Montreux Jazz Festival this year. It is committed to supporting events, talent and spaces throughout the arts ecosystem, and has more music lovers as readers than any other national news brand.

Wilderness is renowned for its eclectic mix of music, arts, food, and wellness. This year’s line up is a brilliant collection of musical and creative genius including Michael Kiwanuka, Faithless, Barry Can’t Swim, BICEP presenting Chroma, and Jessie Ware, alongside a diverse range of artists and performers.

Jessie Ware was Rolling Stone UK’s artist of the year for 2023, and her collaboration last year with disco queen Róisín Murphy made waves when she released a reworked version of “Freak Me Now” from her album That! Feels! Good!.

Just last month, Faithless announced they would be performing their first live show in eight years at London’s Roundhouse to kick off a summer of heading up major UK festivals.

Fans can look forward to seeing Barry Can’t Swim (Joshua Mannie), who was nominated in the Best Dance Act category at this year’s Brit Awards, alongside fellow Scot Calvin Harris, and who just released a new single “Kimbara” ahead of selling out (within minutes) three shows at O2 Academy Brixton later this year.

Others booked to present and perform across the weekend include The Teskey Brothers, chef Andi Oliver, Lottie Murphy Pilates and presenter-writer Claudia Winkleman.

“We’re delighted to be partnering with Wilderness this year for the first time. The chance to connect our readers with an event that embodies their same spirit of curiosity and adventure is truly exciting. Wilderness caters to music, arts, and literary lovers with a sophistication unmatched by any other UK festival, and we can’t wait to work together for an unforgettable weekend in picturesque Cornbury Park,” said Jessie Thompson.