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PLASA Show 2026 reveals seminar programme built around the industry’s biggest questions

PLASA Show 2026 reveals seminar programme built around the industry’s biggest questions

PLASA Show has unveiled its 2026 seminar programme, bringing major production stories, technical expertise and open industry debate to Olympia London from 6–8 September.

Sponsored for the first time by Dante, the free-to-attend programme will explore the forces reshaping entertainment technology, from sustainability, skills and the future workforce to artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and increasingly connected production environments.

Across three days, visitors will hear directly from the people behind high-profile live productions, landmark venues and developing technologies, alongside practical technical and creative masterclasses from specialists working across lighting, audio, AV, staging and business.

Dante joins as seminar programme sponsor

New programme sponsor, Dante, will deliver two sessions examining the changing role of networked technology in live production.

The Economics of Convergence – When Shared Networks Make Sense in Live Sound and When They Don’t will offer a practical framework for deciding when bringing audio, video, lighting and control onto one shared network delivers genuine value – and when it could introduce additional cost and complexity.

A second session, 2 Million People, One Network – Dante at Festival Scale, will explore the latest tools and workflows available for building and managing live systems, drawing on applications ranging from touring productions to vast outdoor concerts.

Dante comments on the sponsorship, “We are really pleased to return to PLASA London this year to support our many OEM and channel partners on the show floor, and, for the first time as sponsors of the Seminar Programme, to be at the heart of important conversations around the technology, welfare and advancement of the live entertainment industry.”

Inside some of entertainment’s most ambitious projects

Major case studies will take audiences behind the scenes of productions spanning broadcast entertainment, immersive experiences, theatre, aerial performance and one of the world’s largest televised music events.

Celestial’s John ‘JP’ Partridge will chart the rapid development of drone light shows in From Titanic To Britain’s Got Talent – Creating The UK’s Biggest Drone Shows.

Drawing on projects including Celestial’s internationally recognised Titanic display and the company’s journey to becoming a Britain’s Got Talent 2026 runner-up, Partridge will explore the creative, technical and operational work behind aerial spectacles watched by audiences numbering in the millions.

Norbert Tripp, global technical director at Area Four Industries, will provide an inside look at the design, engineering and installation of the ground support structure for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in Basel (see LSi June 2026). The Gateway To The Greatest Show – Insight Into The Ground Support Of Eurovision Song Contest 2025 will follow the project from its earliest planning stages through to delivery on site, examining the close collaboration required between the manufacturer, structural engineers and installation teams.

Visitors can also discover how one of television’s most recognisable formats was transformed into an immersive attraction in The Traitors – From TV to Live Experience. The session will examine how creative, lighting, sound and show-control teams built a scalable experience in which performers themselves trigger the technical elements, allowing eight simultaneous Round Tables to operate under the supervision of just one show controller.

LSi brings industry stories to the stage

LSi has curated a stream of sessions throughout all three days, combining production insight with stories from some of the industry’s most influential venues, designers and technologies.

Award-winning lighting designer Aideen Malone will discuss the collaboration and creative challenges involved in lighting the current acclaimed revival of Into The Woods, which she will cover in Lighting ‘Into The Woods’: From Concept to Stage (see LSi March 2026). Meanwhile, Vari-Lite pioneers Jim Bornhorst and Tom Littrell will mark 40 years since the launch of the Series 200 range in Vari-Lite – The Lights That Changed Our World.

The National Theatre’s 50th anniversary will provide the focus for another major panel in The National Theatre At Fifty – Five Decades Of Technology In Support Of Theatre. Paul Handley, Matt Drury and Andrew Grant will be joined by David Bertenshaw and Anne Valentino to explore five decades of technology in support of theatre, from the venue’s original power-flying systems and Lightboard consoles to video projection, LED lighting and modern Eos control.

The team from the Royal Ballet and Opera will also share how it completed a full renovation of the Royal Opera House’s auditorium lighting without closing for a single evening (see LSi June 2026). Rachael O’Sullivan, Alex Gardner and George Townsend will be joined by Push The Button’s Ben Noble for The Royal Opera House – In A New Light.

Audio takes centre stage in Douze Points: How The 2026 Eurovision Song Contest Set Triumphant New Standards For Audio. The session will bring together key figures behind the audio delivery for Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, exploring how the team served the live audience, performers, broadcasters and online viewers while introducing new techniques and technologies for one of the world’s biggest live events.

Elsewhere, Avatar Advancements – The New Frontier Of Live Performance will explore Unit1Studio’s work to transport audiences into performances by legendary artists (see LSi February 2026). The discussion will look at how expertise from Unit1Studio, Brompton Technology, ROE Visual, Woodroffe Bassett Design and sound designer Richard Brooker has contributed to the next generation of avatar-based concert experiences.

Sustainability moves from ambition to action

PLASA will host a dedicated trio of sustainability discussions addressing product information, the wider climate landscape and the gap between industry messaging and meaningful action.

Digital Product Passports – A Headache Or Opportunity For Our Industry will examine how changing product-data expectations could affect entertainment technology businesses.

Big Picture – Global Impact On Our Industrywill cut through climate jargon to consider how extreme weather, global economics, politics and supply-chain pressures could affect the sector over the next 25 years.

Elsewhere, Sustainability Reality Check – Where Does Our Industry Really Stand? will invite industry professionals to speak candidly about where sustainable practices have delivered a genuine advantage, where they continue to be overlooked and whether action is matching the sector’s public commitments.

Preparing for AI, cybersecurity and the next generation

Technology and talent will intersect throughout the programme, with the “next generation” theme encompassing both emerging tools and the people who will use them.

Sessions will explore skills development, training, career pathways and the challenge of attracting and retaining new talent, while also addressing the opportunities and responsibilities created by AI and connected products.

In How To Get Real Value From AI, Jon Hole and Wayne Howell will join Dr Sacha Krstulovic, founder of Understand-AI.today, and lighting designer and educator Tad Trylski to discuss applications extending beyond press releases and image generation. The panel will consider how AI could support creative work, business processes and product development across the entertainment industry.

Wayne Howell will also present with Roland Hemming on Cybersecurity, CRA And How It Affects You, offering an industry-specific update on the EU Cyber Resilience Act, the steps businesses should be taking now and developing tools intended to support compliance and secure product design.

The wider programme will feature contributions from exhibiting companies including ETC, d&b, Artistic Licence, PROLYTE, Robe, Polar Audio and Visualisation. Industry organisations taking part include AVIXA, Backup Tech, The Power of Events, Bectu, the ALPD, the ASDP, WIL, the HSE and HELA, among others.

Beyond the seminar theatres

Beyond the seminar theatres, visitors can experience the latest audio, AV and projection technology in dedicated demo spaces from AbsenLive, Barco, KV2 Audio, and RCF and TT+ Audio.

ChamSys will also run bookable training sessions on 6 and 7 September, covering MagicQ programming, MediaMaster 26, advanced show-file workflows and guest lighting designer sessions. Demo rooms are walk-in, while advance registration is requiredfor training.

Explore all sessions and register free

Sophie Atkinson, Head of Events at PLASA, comments: “The 2026 programme brings together the conversations our industry needs to be having with the projects and technical stories people want to hear. From Eurovision, The Traitors and Celestial’s drone shows to sustainability, AI, cybersecurity and the future workforce, it offers a genuinely broad view of where entertainment technology is heading.

“We are also delighted to welcome Dante as our new seminar programme sponsor and to see so many exhibitors, organisations and working professionals sharing their knowledge with the PLASA Show community.”

Visitors can use the official PLASA Show appto browse the programme and bookmark their favourite sessions, making it easy to plan their time at the show.

All seminars are free to attend with a PLASA Show entry badge and operate on a walk-in, first-come, first-served basis.

Register for a complimentary ticket* and explore the programme at: www.plasashow.com/programme

*Ticket price increases to £15 +VAT from 1 – 5 September 2026 / £20 +VAT from 6-8 September 2026.

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Nick Chatten

Avtar Thethy

WHAT WILL I DO?

I have a ‘Goldmine’ of ideas, that, if elected, I will endeavour to implement and achieve top results.

EQUALITY

Equal partnerships with manufacturer’s and service providers within the DJ sector.

Strengthen existing relationships and look for new participants to drive us all forward.

Create more fund raising opportunities for NADJ.

Social Events

The 1st Internal NADJ DJ Awards evening.

We all are from the same entity, so I believe that we as a membership, we deserve equal recognition as other Associations, past present and future.

ACCOUNTABILITY

To promote the visibility of NADJ, at exhibitions and shows, both Nationally and Regionally.

Reintroduce the NADJ clothing range, with additional items.

To make myself as the National Chairman more accessible to existing Members in all classes of membership, and new ones – introducing new opportunities for the membership as a whole to perform at top level events and functions.

Allowing the membership to “air” their views as we go on, and make a positive but constructive contribution on matters that effect YOU the member.

Have standardised forms available for the whole network to use and adapt, with all Health and Safety documentation required by venues in a Welcome pack.

STRENGTH

To be a strong chairman who truly represents the membership interests at high level meetings and events.

To maintain, strengthen and underpin the membership voice by improving the NADJ’s representative role in the open marketplace.

Empower all members and NADJ Reps to become co – creators of Change (Regional Led Projects)

INNOVATION

Improve NADJ facilities to allow Members to deliver a more professional service in their own respective businesses, in an ever growing industry.

The development of a more social and approachable network of DJ’s across the UK.

Introduce a ‘one stop shop’ making it easer for the member and client to obtain everything under one roof.

WHO AM I ?

My name is Avtar Thethy, 55 years old, married and a father to two boys.

Based in West London for last 52 years.

Running my own business LED Factory for last 9+ years.

An active and helpful member of NADJ London and I’m also the London Chairman.

I am determined, committed and will always endeavour to get the best results possible for YOU, the Member.

WHY ME?

Existing NADJ Member, Chairman for London.

I’ve been blessed with many opportunities week in week out to attend the TOP Events up, down and across the UK – as a supplier, organiser, judge and simply as a guest.

I enjoy the creative benefits of product and service integration with the following well established AV companies daily:

Kudos Av & Kudos Music
Calibar Events
Ritzy Music
UVD Ultimate Visual Display
AVH

(There are many more.)

We are consistently facilitating well over 100 events pa. All of them different,
So you can see that not do I only talk the talk, but I am constantly and walking the walk.

I feel the Association needs CHANGE and Change for the better, It needs to recognise the huge talent that it has within and needs to promote that from within.

It also cannot have its members to have disproportionate inequality in the outside world.

I certainly have the Passion, Commitment and fully understand the hardships in running a business without help.

In talking to a few fellow members, over the last few years, I understand what is missing and what Needs need to be addressed – If you can see these gaps, then,
I am the man to deliver.

Avtar Thethy
Led Factory / NADJ

Fabio Capozzi

Change is good but change for change sake can be a sign of not understanding the true needs of what must be done. I believe the secret of change is to focus all your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new. The Association is long overdue revision and reform that better suits the members.

A new approach to reviving the many reasons why membership is the right choice for hard-working DJs is a better understanding of today’s DJ. By helping members maintain a better work-life balance with money saving benefits or having access to advice from experienced fellow members or sharing work opportunities, it is all for naught unless there is a fundamental mutual respect towards everyone, no matter their view or standing.

Community is important to the success of NADJ and it is the huge support of the membership that we can all pride ourselves on. It is, however, inevitable that a collective of people will disagree from time to time, albeit having a common goal. It is essential that open and fair discussion is encouraged to allow opinion and debate to enhance the values that NADJ stand by. I believe that by creating a culture of positive ideas backed by action this forum can encourage us to move forwards in boosting the public opinion of UK DJs. By way of a campaign, aimed directly at the consumer, NADJ in collaboration with other associations and DJ groups, can represent the benefits of choosing a DJ that is encouraged to apply best practices towards their clients with a view to enhance their business. This path can be applied to all types of DJ, from bedroom to festival and radio and by being more inclusive and properly acknowledging these equally important types of DJ into our community, we can be enriched with their viewpoint and expertise of the industry we all work in.

Our industry is one of supplying a serious amount of dedication and excellent customer experience wrapped in an evening of fun, music and dancing. When you are passionate about your work and strive to be professional, it is a welcome relief to be able to meet, network and collaborate with industry colleagues whilst having a little fun. The branch sessions, events and gatherings that happen across the UK require dedicated committee officers to make these happen regionally and nationally. Without the hard work, that is volunteered, the branch sessions would not be possible – and I thank all of you for your unflagging efforts to run great branches. I agree with opinion that NADJ life has become overly serious and in some cases stale, adopting a tired constitution, no longer in keeping with current member needs and aspirations undermined by language that is outdated. I see the need for reform of the constitution, more inclusive language and attitude, updated to reflect the industry we work in today and instrumental in helping the membership to grow and develop by attracting younger DJs to understand how the NADJ can offer a sound platform to boost their DJ career.

All this I believe is important to make being a member an enjoyable and enriching experience but the serious business of running an association is not all about fun (not for NEC committee members anyway), it is a task that relies on consistency, diplomacy and the ability to make new relationships whilst maintain the ones we have happy. Without the support of members and the industry, no matter how much fun and energy you would like at a branch session, it will be difficult to achieve without the help of great content organised on time and with consideration – this is not a job where you can ‘wing it’… I have never winged anything. I look forward to your vote.

Alastair Craig

My name is Alastair Craig and I am a full time DJ with over 30 years’ experience of providing services to many events, including Weddings, Birthdays and Corporates.

Apart from DJ’ing I am also involved in the IT industry and have been advisory on protecting Children’s Data and more recently been involved in testing software for a leading DJ company.

Outside of work I am is a keen Scuba Diver and currently serve as the Diving Officer for Reading University in which I also act as a mentor and Assistant Instructor.

I am running for Secretary for NADJ as I feel that I can bring some new ideas as well as my organisational skills to the table, not just from my experience within my DJ work but from my other involvement in IT to which assessment, planning through to delivery  was key to my role.

At this time, I feel NADJ is ready for change and I am certainly open to listening to new ideas from the membership to move the association in a new fresh direction.

Let’s leave the politics behind and concentrate on building new relationships from within as well as looking after the ones that have already been established.

Yes, it will be a challenge for the new committee but no doubt, as D-ream sang “Things Can Only Get Better” 😊

Dave Mills

Firstly, thank you to those who felt I was worthy to be nominated for a position on the National Committee. I’m not sure I should be grateful, but I am very honoured by your faith in me.

Some of you may know me as the fun, gig addicted, rock music loving Chairman of the South Central Branch but if you don’t and haven’t seen my recent profile piece in Pro Mobile issue 95 (yes shameless self-promotion) then let me briefly introduce myself.

I’m Dave Mills; I had been a struggling DJ for many years working for an agency in Berkshire until I was invited to a NADJ meeting. The people I met within NADJ inspired and helped me to leave the agency and successfully branch out on my own. I’ve made some great friends and learned A LOT. By joining the committee and then becoming the south central chairman I have found myself in a position to encourage and support other aspiring DJ’s to do the same as myself. The range and wealth of knowledge, experience and professionalism within NADJ still floors me making me feel in awe but very proud to be a part of it all.

I am open minded to new ideas and using feedback from our members and non-members, working together as a team so everyone has a voice and every member gets something extra from being in NADJ (not just a P.L.I.) and feels part of our mad music addicted community.

*I hope I haven’t bored you to death yet, nearly there*

I would like to think that my 6 years on an NADJ committee have given me the experience required to move up to the challenge of becoming National Secretary. I am under no illusion that there is a difference between running a branch and taking on a role at national level and it’s not always going to be easy (but I hope not to the point of sitting on a chair sticking pencils up my nose, with pants on my head and saying ‘wibble’) but for some insane reason I’m looking forward to taking on the challenge.

If you are kind enough to vote me in, my main aims would be to help make the association more open and inclusive, encouraging and supporting the current membership as well aspiring DJ’s of any age and gender to join us in our mission to make the DJ industry truly recognised as a profession in a positive, encouraging way.