Panels

Thu 15 Jan - 13:30-14:30 - Oosterpoort - Artiestenfoyer
Presentation - The art of attracting an audience
English spoken
Noah Smits , Smidswater / Gary Smith , Multilingual Journalist, Copywriter & Conference Curator
Presented by:
Fri 16 Jan - 15:00-16:00 - Oosterpoort - Binnenzaal
Festivals 2.0: Upgrade of onderuit?
Nederlands gesproken
Tirsa Creusen , Mojo Concerts / Peter Verkennis , Stichting Bospop / Waldo Volmer , Stad als Podium / Lesley Grieten , Concert at SEA / Nele Bigaré , Rock Werchter
Presented by:
Fri 16 Jan - 13:30-14:30 - Oosterpoort - Binnenzaal
Why Independent Festivals Still Work
English spoken
Vasil Gjuroski , Tromsø World / Canan Yurdakul , EBB Music / Roisin O'Connor , The Independent
Presented by:
Thu 15 Jan - 12:00-13:00 - Oosterpoort - Bovenzaal 1
Social mediatrucs van buiten en binnen de muziekbubbel
Nederlands gesproken
Amber Roner , Story Art Studio / Jaël Gradenwitz , Truus / Isaac Diepenhorst , Bol / Joost van Abeelen , Mojo Concerts
Presented by:
Fri 16 Jan - 12:00-13:00 - Oosterpoort - Bovenzaal 1
New Adventures in DIY: Touring off the beaten path in Southeastern Europe
English spoken
Lilian Severin , Pot Music NGO / Ismail Myrseli , SPICY_SNAIL / Laura Ferrero , Samit Nesvrstanih / Nadica Banishka , Mrtov konj (Dead Horse) / Gola Planina Kolektiv (Naked Mountain Collective) / Lukas Jansen , Tramhaus, Nospray
Presented by: Yugofuturism
Thu 15 Jan - 15:00-16:00 - Oosterpoort - Bovenzaal 2
The Baltic Way – Introducing a new generation of regional movers & shakers
English spoken
Marija Astromskaitė , Astrocore / Lena Sme , Music Observation Organization
Presented by: Yugofuturism
Fri 16 Jan - 13:30-14:30 - Oosterpoort - Bovenzaal 2
Youtube Storytelling Your Music with YouTube
English spoken
Henri Lessing , Age Media / Marcel Albers , Dutch Music Export / Lara Lessing , Age Media / Eric Skuncke , YouTube / Martijn Schaper , Age Media
Presented by:
Thu 15 Jan - 10:30-11:30 - Oosterpoort - Bovenzaal 2
Responsible AI: The Next Frontier of Creativity and Ethics
English spoken
Einar Helde , AIMS / Mansoor Rahimat Khan , Beatoven.ai / Turo Pekari , Copyright Delta / Music Tech Europe / Rithik Kundu , NYU GenAudio & AI
Presented by:
Fri 16 Jan - 10:30-11:30 - Oosterpoort - Bovenzaal 2
Code Meets Concert: Reinventing the Live Moment
English spoken
Premysl Koudela , Get Moments / Marine Rivollet , 2AM / Samuel Welten , Artist / Gérôme Vanherf , ikii
Presented by:
Fri 16 Jan - 12:00-13:00 - Oosterpoort - Bovenzaal 2
How to Attract Early-Stage Investment in Music Tech
English spoken
Collette Tibbetts , Joker Deck / Jakob Wredstrøm , Amplitude Ventures / Turo Pekari , Copyright Delta / Music Tech Europe / Rasmus Hauta-Aho , Vandall ou
Presented by:
Fri 16 Jan - 15:00-16:00 - Oosterpoort - Grijze zaal
The top 10 legal issues you need to know about in 2026
English spoken
Marijn Kingma , Höcker Advocaten / Susan Abramovitch , Gowling WLG / Bindu de Knock , Crosslink Legal / Peter Marx , MVVP
Presented by:
Thu 15 Jan - 12:00-13:00 - Oosterpoort - Kelder
Keynote - IMPALA celebrates 25 years of empowering independent music in Europe
English spoken
Helen Smith , IMPALA
Presented by:
Fri 16 Jan - 16:30-17:30 - Oosterpoort - Kelder
Virality & fandom
English spoken
Simone Driessen , Erasmus University Rotterdam / Simon de Wit , aka Blanks / Nina Mathys , Blank Agency
Presented by:
Thu 15 Jan - 12:00-13:00 - Oosterpoort - Kunstpunt
Accessibility: Start with the Basics, Not the Adjustments
English spoken
Ronald Ligtenberg , Possibilize - Revelland / Andrew Lansley , The Very Good Solutions Company / Mika Juul Christoffersen , Head of DEI & Behaviour
Presented by:
Thu 15 Jan - 10:30-11:30 - Oosterpoort - Kunstpunt
Uniting Nations’
English spoken
Isleifur Thorhallsson , Iceland Airwaves / Cecilia Soojeong Yi , DMZ Peace Train Music Festival / ALPS / Neal Thompson , FOCUS Wales / Alona Dmukhovska , Music Export Ukraine
Presented by:
Fri 16 Jan - 12:00-13:00 - Oosterpoort - Kunstpunt
Staying independent: the future of independent artists and labels
English spoken
Helen Smith , IMPALA / Ruth Barlow , Beggars Group / Kees van Weijen , STOMP / Guillaume Warmerdam , LAB Music, MakeWaves.fm, Vokall Records
Presented by:
Thu 15 Jan - 15:00-16:00 - Oosterpoort - Kunstpunt
Muziek & Activisme I: We moeten onze stem verheffen
Nederlands gesproken
Froukje Bouma , MOTEL Artist Management / Chris Julien , Climate Philosopher /
Presented by: BKB
Thu 15 Jan - 16:30-17:30 - Oosterpoort - Kunstpunt
Muziek & Activisme II: Wat is het ergste dat er kan gebeuren?
Nederlands gesproken
Geert van Itallie , Paradiso / Piet Slegt , Nationaal Comite 4 en 5 mei
Presented by: BKB
Thu 15 Jan - 17:30-19:00 - Oosterpoort - Kunstpunt
Drinks Reception - Muziek & Activisme III: Van inspiratie naar actie
Nederlands gesproken
Presented by: BKB
Sat 17 Jan - 13:00-14:00 - Oosterpoort - Kunstpunt
25 jaar DI-RECT: en toen werd het stil in De Kuip
Nederlands gesproken
Ernst-Jan Pfauth , Journalist, schrijver & media pionier / Tim van der Zalm , Labeltje Labeltje
Presented by:
Sat 17 Jan - 13:00-14:00 - Oosterpoort - Marathonzaal
Under pressure: mentale gezondheid in de muziekindustrie
Nederlands gesproken
Mark Deuze , University of Amsterdam / Koos Zwaan , Inholland University of Applied Science / Thomas Huikeshoven , HOOFS / Katja Keersmaekers , The Mental Crew / Santina Elena , Suburban Records
Presented by:
Fri 16 Jan - 10:30-11:30 - Oosterpoort - Marathonzaal
Will independent music journalists save the narrative?
English spoken
Steffi von Kannemann , Better Things / Malou Miedema , VPRO 3voor12 / Sonia Narang , Multimedia & radio journalist
Presented by:
Thu 15 Jan - 12:00-13:00 - Oosterpoort - Marathonzaal
One Million Streams
English spoken
Matt Hanner , Runway Agency Ltd / Matt Gage , Openstage
Presented by:
Fri 16 Jan - 15:00-16:00 - Oosterpoort - Marathonzaal
From Europe to the World: How global festivals discover and book emerging European artists
English spoken
Satria Ramadhan , AXEAN Festival / Brian Hetherman , NXNE Music Conference and Festival / Layli Odamura , Creativeman Production
Presented by:
Fri 16 Jan - 12:00-13:00 - Oosterpoort - Ronde Kamer
Men Only: How to Talk About Women When Women Aren’t in the Room
English spoken
Joe Hastings , Music Support / Eline van Audenaerde , The Unicorn Mothership
Presented by:
Sat 17 Jan - 13:00-14:00 - Oosterpoort - Ronde Kamer
Spotify Radar: meet the future in music
Nederlands gesproken
Marta Belay , Spotify / Eric van Holland , Spotify
Presented by:
Thu 15 Jan - 10:30-11:30 - Oosterpoort - Ronde Kamer
Touring Europe: Trends, Data & Predictions
English spoken
Brij Gosai , Pollstar / Daniel Seligman , POP Montreal International Music Festival / Paulina Parvanov , Austrian Music Export
Presented by:
Fri 16 Jan - 13:30-14:30 - Oosterpoort - Ronde Kamer
Powering Up Black Talent in the Live Sector: What’s next?
English spoken
Dr Charisse Beaumont , Black Lives in Music / Diana Ezerex , German-Nigerian singer & songwriter / Yaw Owusu , Nothin But The Music / Ben Wynter , A.I.M (Association of Independent Music)
Presented by:
Thu 15 Jan - 12:00-13:00 - Oosterpoort - Ronde Kamer
Workshop - How to stay confident when the world tells you not to
English spoken
Eline van Audenaerde , The Unicorn Mothership / Becky Wixon , Balance the Mix
Presented by:
Thu 15 Jan - 15:00-16:00 - Oosterpoort - Ronde Kamer
Lets stop with green touring!
English spoken
Ferdinand van Dalsen , Pieter Smit Group / Samuel Welten , Artist
Presented by:
Artiestenmanagers: hoe om te gaan met een crisissituatie
Nederlands gesproken
Katja Keersmaekers , The Mental Crew / Lisanne Middag , Crystal Stone Management / Ronald de Bas , 8ball Management / Ricardo Klaverdijk , MBS Benelux B.V.
Presented by:
Life & Live after Steve Strange
English spoken
Josh Javor , London Music Department at WME / Natalie Ryan-Williams , Luger / Way Out West / Jeps Salfischberger , Mojo Concerts
Presented by:
First Speakers Confirmed, More to Come!
Mansoor Rahimat Khan , Beatoven.ai / Jakob Wredstrøm , Amplitude Ventures / Gérôme Vanherf , ikii / Tineke Codron , Square 1 support / Esmee Bouwmeister , DGTL / Ferdinand van Dalsen , Pieter Smit Group / Noah Smits , Smidswater / Einar Helde , AIMS / Mandy Salem-Aubry , MSA Music Services / Leifur Björnsson , Iceland Music / Stanislav Malikov , Co-Founder Geisha Ninja Samurai & Artist Relations Manager (Eastern Europe) at Believe / Stefanie Joosten / Steffi von Kannemann , Better Things / Barbara Vos , Barbara Vos / Bianca Harms , NHL Stenden UAS / Premysl Koudela , Get Moments / Daan Holthuis , 013 Poppodium / Eefke Boelhouwers , BoelEefke / Becky Wixon , Balance the Mix / Barnaby Harrod , Mercury Wheels @ Live Nation / Simon Raymonde , Bella Union / Martin Schuhmacher , Nettwerk Music Group / Marija Astromskaitė , Astrocore / Lilian Severin , Pot Music NGO / Ismail Myrseli , SPICY_SNAIL / Matt Hanner , Runway Agency Ltd / Roxana Morar , Radio România Cultural / Koka Gogokhia , Stockton / Stockton Records / Satria Ramadhan , AXEAN Festival / Brian Hetherman , NXNE Music Conference and Festival / Marleen Stikker , Waag Futurelab / Dusan Kovacevic , EXIT Festival / Collette Tibbetts , Joker Deck / Tirsa Creusen , Mojo Concerts / Dorian Perron , Groover / Michal Kaščák , Pohoda festival / Dick Molenaar , All Arts Tax Advisers / Eric van Holland , Spotify / Vasil Gjuroski , Tromsø World / Dylan Heneck , SubmitHub / Saskhia Menendez , Sassy Records LTD / Chris Julien , Climate Philosopher / Simone Driessen , Erasmus University Rotterdam / Geert van Itallie , Paradiso / Nina Mathys , Blank Agency / Jonathan Bunce , Wavelength Music / Fred Poulin , Duprince / La Noce / Andrew Lansley , The Very Good Solutions Company / Ellen Overweel , het Cultuurfonds / Layli Odamura , Creativeman Production / Marcel Albers , Dutch Music Export / Carice van Houten , Actrice / Sander Smeets , Fonds voor Cultuurparticipatie / Lori Ethier , M pour Montréal / Nick Waelbers , voordekunst / Carice van Houten , Actrice / Michal Parizek , Full Moon magazine / Diana Ezerex , German-Nigerian singer & songwriter / Tim van der Zalm , Labeltje Labeltje / Daniel Seligman , POP Montreal International Music Festival / Samuel Welten , Artist / Ingrid Kohtla , Tallinn Music Week / Isleifur Thorhallsson , Iceland Airwaves / Noel Curran , European Broadcasting Union / Marine Rivollet , 2AM / Nuria Net , Shake It Easy Media / Lucia Martinez Prado , Breakevent / Froukje Bouma , MOTEL Artist Management / Ellie Rumbold , Partisan Records / Jaša Bužinel , The Quietus / MENT Ljubljana / SONICA / Simon Gooch , Sveriges Radio / Max Alper , Critical Listening Podcast / Brendan McCarney , Double Denim Management / Ruben Brouwer , MOJO / Dirk Baart , EKKO / Helienne Lindvall , ECSA / Nina Smit , Vonk Music & Bronks Music / Isaac Allaway , Feel for Music / Lisa Henderson , IQ / Anne Löhr , Music Industry Therapist Collective / Ilana van den Berg , Fonds 21 / Tamás Kádár , Sziget Cultural Management / Annabel Heijen , BumaStemra / Evelyne Côté , evenko / Osheaga
Presented by:
Het succes van tributebands nader verklaard
Nederlands gesproken
Eefke Boelhouwers , BoelEefke / Daan Holthuis , 013 Poppodium / Arjo Klingens , Mojo Concerts / Steven Smits , Treasure / Roger Rutten , The Tribute Agency
Presented by:
What's Killing the agent
English spoken
Jan Digneffe , FKP Scorpio Belgium / Barnaby Harrod , Mercury Wheels @ Live Nation / Natasha Gregory , Mother Artists
Presented by:
Future of independent playlisting
English spoken
Dieuwertje Heuvelings , Conservatorium van Amsterdam / Dorian Perron , Groover / Dylan Heneck , SubmitHub
Presented by:
Circularity or Going Round in Circles?
English spoken
Esmee Bouwmeister , DGTL / Gary Smith , Multilingual Journalist, Copywriter & Conference Curator / Claire O’Neill , A Greener Future
Presented by: