BEYOND BOUNDARIES — 3 DAYS & NIGHTS OF MUSIC, CREATIVITY, CULTURE & VISUAL ART
24–26 SEPTEMBER 2026

NEW INDUSTRY PROGRAMME FEATURES SENIOR CONVERSATIONS ON THE FUTURE OF THE MUSIC BUSINESS, PUBLISHING, LICENSING, GAMING, NIGHTLIFE, BRAND PARTNERSHIPS, GLOBAL CREATIVITY & CULTURE

INDUSTRY SPEAKERS & DELEGATES

Mary Bekhait – CEO at YMU, Sam Spencer – Director of Live Operations at Broadwick Live, Finn – Chief Business & Brand Officer, DooRooDooRoo Artist Company, Florian Körner – Head of Cultural Partnerships, Lemonaid & ChariTea, David Zhou – Founder & Director, Eastern Margins, Takashi Kudo, Communications Director, TeamLab, Aly Gillani – Artist & label Relations Lead, Bandcamp, Jenna Jones – Head of Brand Partnerships, Ableton, Any Du Sauzay, Marketing Director & Head of Label Operations, Atlantic Records UK, Robson Carter-Browne, Partnerships Manager, Time Out London, Remco Schuurbiers, Artistic Director, CTM Festival, Nathan Adewole, Artist Marketing, Beatport, Sam Fussell, Senior Digital Operations Manager, Domino // Will Grant, Director of Creative Strategy & Audience

ARTISTS
MOBY, OKLOU, THE AVALANCHES, FLOHIO, JAMZ SUPERNOVA, FABIO & GROOVERIDER, FOOTSIE, SHY ONE, ELKKA, NADINE NOOR, TIM & BARRY, SAMA’ ABDULHADI, ELIJAH + MANY MORE.

PRESS & MEDIA ASSETS — HERE

ATTEND AVA FOR BUSINESS – DELEGATE PROGRAMME

AVA London returns from 24th–26th September 2026, bringing together senior leaders, artists, innovators and cultural figures from across music, entertainment and the wider creative industries for three days and nights of keynotes, industry forums, live conversations, workshops, masterclasses, performances and high-level networking.

With a strong focus on the business of music and culture, this year’s programme moves beyond conventional conference discussion to examine the forces shaping the industry now — from new models of growth and investment to the changing value of artists, audiences, technology, intellectual property and live experiences.

AVA London will welcome international delegates from across the UK, Europe and Asia, with senior representatives from leading music, technology and cultural organisations including CTM Festival, Sapporo International Festival, ZKM, Microwave International New Media Arts Festival, Tselinny Contemporary Arts Center, NTT InterCommunication Center, YMU, Broadwick Live, DooRooDooRoo Artist Company, British Council, Ableton, Beatport, AlphaTheta, Domino Records, PRS for Music, Jägermeister / SAVE THE NIGHT, Truelove Music Publishing, Synchronicity Music, MusicFutures, AFEM, SheSaidSo, Resident Advisor and many more.

Leading the industry programme is The Game Changers, bringing together senior executives actively challenging and redefining the music, culture and entertainment business: Mary Bekhait, CEO, YMU; Anya Du Sauzay, Marketing Director & Head of Label Operations, Atlantic Records UK; Sam Spencer, Director of Live Operations, Broadwick Live; and Finn Sohn, Chief Business Officer, DooRooDooRoo Artist Company. The conversation will examine where influence and leverage sit in today’s industry, how businesses are adapting to a rapidly changing market, and what the next phase of growth looks like.

The Association for Electronic Music (AFEM) returns with three industry-focused sessions spanning leadership, skills and the future of electronic music. Building the Next Generation of Promoters brings together David Zhou, Founder, Eastern Margins; Remco Schuurbiers, CTM Festival; Samantha Togni, Boudica; and Steven Braines, He.She.They, to examine the changing role of promoters and what it takes to build sustainable, globally relevant scenes.

MusicFutures presents The Future of Music Licensing in a Gaming World, bringing together Vicky Taylor, Head of Creative & Licensing, Truelove Music Publishing; Sergio Pimental, Creative Director & Music Supervisor, Synchronicity Music; Richard Jacques, Composer; and George Rose, Head of Broadcast & Digital, PRS for Music, hosted by Sabine Jacques, IP & AI Policy Lead at MusicFutures. The session will examine the rapidly expanding relationship between music, gaming, licensing and new forms of intellectual property.

Meet The Experts will give delegates the opportunity to connect directly with experienced professionals from across the electronic music industry through curated one-to-one B2B meetings, providing a focused setting for meaningful introductions, knowledge exchange and business development.

Alongside the main programme, AVA London will host three application-only Industry Forums focused on the business and infrastructure behind clubs, festivals and artist/music management. Bringing together senior practitioners from across each sector, the Forums will provide a space for candid discussion around the challenges, opportunities and structural changes shaping the industry. The Forums will run with partners including ChariTea Mate and VELO.

ChariTea Mate will present a timely discussion on the UK nightlife economy, chaired by Ed Gillett, bringing together Nadine Noor, Lenny Watson and further speakers to be announced. The panel will explore the economic, cultural and structural pressures facing the UK’s nightlife sector — and what needs to change to build a more sustainable future.

Consumer technology and lifestyle brand Nothing joins the programme with What Does Music Need Now? – Industry, Influence & Investment, examining the relationship between music, brands, influence and investment, and asking what the industry needs from the businesses seeking to shape its future. Speakers will be revealed soon.

PRS for Music will also present The Business of Publishing, bringing a senior industry perspective to the increasingly complex and strategically important world of music publishing, rights and revenue.

NEW CREATIVE & CULTURAL ADDITIONS

Among the latest additions, pioneering Palestinian DJ, producer and cultural activist Sama’ Abdulhadi joins the programme for an in-conversation with a special guest. One of the most significant Palestinian artists to emerge internationally, Abdulhadi has used her platform to bring global visibility to Palestine’s electronic music community while advocating for Palestinian artists, cultural spaces and greater solidarity across the international music industry. Her career increasingly intersects with questions of representation, cultural resistance and the role music can play beyond the dancefloor.

London-based artist, writer and creative strategist Elijah will lead a dedicated Grant Funding Workshop. Co-founder of influential grime label Butterz and the artist behind the Yellow Squares project, Elijah’s work has explored artistic independence, community and the realities of building and sustaining a creative practice. The workshop will bring that perspective to the practical question of grant funding for artists and creatives.

Taking TELETECH Global: Touring & Visual Identity, presented by Visual Spectrum, will explore the development of Manchester-born electronic music promoter TELETECH from its roots in the city’s underground techno scene into an international touring brand.

Meanwhile, The Art of Brand Partnerships: How to Build Meaningful Cultural Moments with Brands & Institutions will examine the changing relationship between cultural organisations and commercial partners, looking beyond traditional sponsorship models towards more meaningful and creatively-led collaborations.

Elsewhere, The Music Supply Chain, presented by AVA & b:electronic, will examine how local scenes, artists and independent businesses connect with the global music ecosystem, while a Production Masterclass with Roundhouse will focus on the practical skills and knowledge required to bring ambitious creative projects to life for music makers.

Together, the new sessions expand AVA London’s programme across the practical, creative and commercial sides of the industry, spanning funding, touring, production, partnerships, publishing and the wider infrastructure that supports music and culture.

The new additions join Moby, Oklou, The Avalanches, teamLab, No Tags, FLOHIO, Footsie, Jamz Supernova, Shy One, Tim & Barry, ELKKA, Fabio & Grooverider and many more.

Across two conference days at the British Library, AVA London will bring together artists and emerging creatives with established figures from labels, management, publishing, festivals, venues, technology, media and cultural organisations. Practical workshops, expert-led sessions, industry forums and dedicated networking will sit alongside the wider programme of talks and keynotes, creating a platform not only for conversation, but for connection, collaboration and business.

INDUSTRY OFFERING – DELEGATES, NETWORKING AND CULTURE

Now in its ninth year, AVA London continues to champion imagination and music innovation in the UK, creating space for new thinking, creative collaboration and exchange across different areas of the music and creative industries.

Alongside the public conference programme, AVA will create dedicated spaces for more focused industry exchange – AVA Pro Networking Mixers will provide further opportunities for delegates to meet and build new working relationships, with attendees also able to connect with fellow delegates ahead of the event through the AVA conference app.

Bringing these elements together, AVA London offers two days of direct access to the wider music industry, whether through practical learning, one-to-one expertise, focused industry discussion or the opportunity to build new relationships. For artists, managers, promoters, labels and professionals working across music today, the programme is designed not only as a place to hear the conversations shaping the industry, but to take part in them.

The AVA London Pro Pass includes

• Full access to the AVA London conference
• Entry to AVA London showcases at The Cross, Round Chapel, Outernet & EartH*
• Exclusive access to networking events & mixers
• Connect with delegates in advance via the AVA conference app
• An AVA London tote bag

NIGHT TIME PROGRAMME : FOLD, Outernet Live, EartH, Round Chapel Clapton

AVA London will also feature an expanded night programme celebrating key figures in electronic music and the artists who have shaped the AVA story over the years..

Thursday — AVA London x Seanchoíche ‘TIME’
AVA London joins forces with storytelling platform Seanchoíche for a special bumper edition focussed around the theme of TIME.

Friday — AVA London x RA25, Outernet Live
AVA London joins forces with Resident Advisor for a special RA25 celebration featuring Blawan Live, Mala, Bitter Babe Live AV feat. Koch.a and AliA.

Friday — AVA London x FOLD
AVA takes over London institution FOLD for a special London edition featuring Optimo, Special Guest, Swoose, Holly Lester, Body Clinic and JWY.

Saturday — AVA London x Stay On Sight, EartH, Hackney
AVA London teams up with Skin On Skin for a Stay On Sight takeover at EartH Hall in Dalston for a night featuring Skin On Skin, Evian Christ, Croatian Amor and mi-el.

Tickets for these can be purchased via Resident Advisor here

AVA X SEANCHOÍCHE

AVA joins forces with revered storytelling platform SeanchoÍche for a special evening of storytelling at the Round Chapel in Clapton on Thursday 24th September. An intimate night bringing people together to share stories, memories and tales around the theme of “Time”, creating a unique space for conversation, connection and the celebration of personal stories.

AVA LONDON 2026

AVA London takes place 24–26 September 2026, bringing together artists, innovators and cultural leaders at the intersection of music, visual arts and technology.

The programme will continue to expand in the run-up to September, with further speakers, artists, sessions, live music events and cultural programming to be announced.

Previous speakers and contributors at AVA London include Brian Eno, Charli xcx, FKA twigs, Jarvis Cocker, Underworld, Laurent Garnier, Munroe Bergdorf, Ryoji Ikeda, Marcel Dettmann, Hot Chip, Orbital, Bicep, Irvine Welsh, and many more.

More information about the day + night programme, including all live music events, will follow in the coming months ahead of the new dates in September. 

Ticket Options

AVA London Pro Pass Pro Pass – Day & Night

£201
AVA London Conference Day Passes

£85

Student & Community Access Tickets available via application – apply here

More Ticket Information – HE RE

AVA Forum – on enquiry

whats this? @conor@avafestival.com

might be b:electronic?