Connecting the live music industry
ESNS 2026 Reveals First Speakers for 40th Edition Conference
October15
Bella Union, EXIT Festival, FKP Scorpio, IMPALA, K2 Agency, Nettwerk Music Group, Pohoda Festival and WME among participants in Europe’s leading music industry gathering.
ESNS (Eurosonic Noorderslag) has announced the first round of speakers for its annual music conference, taking place from 14–17 January 2026 in Groningen, the Netherlands.
Under the theme “Europe Calling,” the 40th edition of ESNS will focus on Europe as a cultural and creative force, exploring shared challenges and opportunities across the continent’s music sector. Rather than spotlighting a single country, this year’s program takes a pan-European approach, uniting artists, agents, bookers, festivals, venues, policymakers, labels, publishers, and other industry professionals in discussions on identity, innovation, and collaboration.
Conference topics will include the growing influence of artificial intelligence, global investment trends, freedom of media and artistic expression, generational knowledge transfer, and the role of activism in the music industry.
A new feature for 2026, House of Europe, will serve as a central hub within the ESNS Conference, bringing together European music export offices to present talent, culture, and regional initiatives.
Key highlights and speakers:
* Helen Smith (IMPALA) will deliver a keynote interview marking IMPALA’s 25th anniversary, in conversation with Music Week’s Ben Homewood.
* Industry figures including Simon Raymonde (Bella Union), Ellie Rumbold (Partisan Records), and Martin Schuhmacher (Nettwerk Music Group) will discuss the impact of label acquisitions and the evolving independent landscape.
* Roxana Morar (Radio România Cultural), Dusan Kovacevic (EXIT Festival), Michal Kascák (Pohoda Festival), and Koka Gogokhia (Stockton Records) will explore the issue of freedom of curation under political and governmental pressures.
* Tech and AI sessions will feature Marleen Stikker (Waag), Gérôme Vanherf (ikii), Einar Helde (AIMS), and others, addressing regulation, policy, and creative innovation.
* A panel honouring late agent Steve Strange (Coldplay, Eminem, Queens of the Stone Age) will include Josh Javor (WME), Jim Morewood (K2 Agency), and Natalie Ryan Williams (Luger / Way Out West), moderated by Jeps Salfischberger (MOJO Concerts).
* Mental health and social safety will remain a key focus, with workshops and sessions led by Joe Hastings (Music Support), Eline van den Audenaere (The Unicorn Mothership), and Becky Wixon (Balance the Mix).
Additional confirmed speakers include representatives from MOJO Concerts, 8Ball Music, NXNE Music Conference, DGTL, and Iceland Music, among many others.
The ESNS 2026 conference runs alongside the Eurosonic and Noorderslag showcase festivals, reinforcing Groningen’s role as a key meeting point for Europe’s live music industry.
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