CONFERENCE OVERVIEW
The Great Escape Conference 2026
The UK’s most essential new-music industry conference, celebrating 20 years of setting the agenda
Returning to Brighton from 13th–15th May 2026 (with an extended Wednesday afternoon programme), The Great Escape Conference enters its most ambitious era yet.
Marking our 20th anniversary, TGE 2026 brings together the artists, executives, policymakers and cultural leaders shaping the future of music across three days of insight, debate, discovery and connection.
Designed to reflect and influence the entire music ecosystem, this year’s programme is built alongside a record-breaking collective of Conference Collaborators and Trade Partners, each bringing world-class expertise, networks and cultural insight directly into the conversation.
Keynote Speakers Announced
The keynote speakers for 2026 set the tone for a landmark year.
Melanie C joins us for a special keynote conversation with Jaguar, presented in association with our Charity Partner CALM, celebrating the release of her new album Sweat and reflecting on a career that spans three decades — from redefining global pop culture with the Spice Girls to chart-topping solo success and global DJ sets.
Ian Murray MP, Minister of State at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), will deliver a keynote session offering direct insight into UK government policy across the creative industries — including music, touring, broadcasting and the night-time economy.
Emma Banks (CAA) and Natasha Gregory (Mother). Hosted by IQ Magazine. Bringing decades of experience shaping the careers of some of the world’s biggest artists, Banks and Gregory will offer a rare behind-the-scenes perspective on the global live landscape — from breaking new acts to building arena-level success.
Also confirmed:
Molly Neuman (President, CD Baby) in conversation with Mark Sutherland on building sustainable, future-proof independent careers.
Council of Music Makers presents: AI, Streaming, Media + Touring – The Music-Maker Perspective on Key Industry Trends, tackling the most urgent debates shaping the business today.
CALM will present ‘Music Saved My Life’ — an exploration of the mental health benefits of music and its power to save lives. The session features Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien, who has been an outspoken advocate for mental health awareness within the music industry, and Mercury Prize-nominated artist Nadine Shah, who has long used her platform to speak candidly about grief, addiction and mental wellbeing. They will be joined by broadcaster and DJ Harpz Kaur, alongside leading researchers Dr George Musgrave and Chris Price, Head of Music for BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra.
AIM will present a deep dive into the award-winning campaign behind Bon Iver’s latest record, SABLE fABLE (winner of Best Creative Campaign at the Independent Music Awards), featuring the Secretly Group team behind the campaign’s success.
More keynote speakers and major sessions will be announced in the coming weeks.
Conference Collaborators 2026
This year’s expanded Collaborator collective spans live, venues, labels, rights, mental health, youth development, sustainability, recorded music and artist careers.
2026 collaborators include:
BPI, PPL, Association of Independent Music (AIM), BBC Introducing, Council of Music Makers (CMM), Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), Youth Music, EarthPercent, CALM, IQ Magazine, Music Venues Alliance Brighton (MVAB) War Child, Rough Trade, NME, TikTok, Sound Exchange
Together, this collective ensures expert-led, community-shaped sessions and future-focused debate across the entire programme.
Themes & Daily Strands
Wednesday 13 May — Live Music & Night-Time Culture
Opening day focuses on the future of the live sector, exploring:
- Venue pressures & resilience
- Touring innovation
- Audience evolution
- Night-time economy reform
- Policy & infrastructure
Curated alongside IQ Magazine, NTIA and MVAB.
Thursday 14 May — Artist Careers, Rights & Resilience
Thursday centres artist sustainability, examining:
- Creative development
- Rights, royalties & licensing
- Financial resilience
- New business models
- AI & streaming economics
Programmed with CMM, AIM, PPL and CALM, amplifying the voices of practitioners and music makers defining the next era.
Friday 15 May — Next Gen Day
Friday spotlights future leaders and rising talent, covering:
- Early-career pathways
- Access, education & inclusion
- Sustainability & climate action
- Innovation across sync, platforms & licensing
Curated with Youth Music, BBC Introducing, EarthPercent and BIMM Institute.
Partner Panels
A packed programme of partner-led panels will take place across Thursday and Friday in the Leonardo Royal Noblesse Room, bringing together leading voices from across the global music ecosystem. Sessions hosted by New Zealand, Audio Network, CD Baby and Pollstar on Thursday will explore topics ranging from building international careers and the future of sync to sustainable independence in today’s industry.
On Friday, partners including AudioActive, Ticketmaster New Music, PRS for Music, AWAL, Rough Trade, War Child and SoundExchange take over the room with a series of insight-driven discussions, with full details to be announced. Together, these sessions offer delegates direct access to expert perspectives, practical knowledge and forward-thinking conversations shaping the future of music.
Find out more about TGE’s Partner panels here.
Networking Parties
Alongside the conference programme, The Great Escape’s networking parties offer countless opportunities to connect, collaborate and build relationships across the global music industry.
The week kicks off on Wednesday 13th May with the official welcome party hosted by The Independent at On The Rocks on the TGE Beach site, setting the tone for what’s to come. From there, events take place across Brighton on Thursday and Friday from beachfront brunches and daytime mixers to early evening receptions with partners including M for Montreal, Downtown, Audio Network, BIMM, Symphonic, Northern House, Export Music Sweden, Qobuz, VEVO, Ja Ja Ja, Zeitgeist, Virgin Music Group, The Orchard and New Zealand hosting a series of informal gatherings designed to bring delegates together.
Whether you’re meeting new collaborators, catching up with peers or discovering new scenes and communities, these events are at the heart of the TGE experience. You can find out more about our networking parties on Thursday 14th May here. For parties taking place on Friday 15th May you can find more info here.
Trade Partners & Industry Activity
2026 Trade Partners include:
AWAL, FUGA, Downtown, NOMEX, Ticketmaster New Music, Vevo, Virgin Music Group (VMG), M For Montreal, Centre National de la Musique (CNM), Creative Scotland
Across the week, partners will host curated showcases, networking brunches, receptions, cocktail events and specialist sessions embedding international connection and commercial opportunity throughout TGE.
Elevate
ELEVATE is The Great Escape’s professional development programme, designed to support emerging talent across the music industry and help shape the future of the sector.
Each year, a cohort of 20 ELEVATE super-delegates are selected to take part in the programme, individuals who are already making waves and are ready to take the next step in their careers.
Funded by Arts Council England and the National Lottery, ELEVATE offers enhanced access to The Great Escape Conference alongside a curated programme of mentoring, networking and insight-led sessions.
The Steve Strange Award
The Steve Strange Award returns for 2026, celebrating creativity at the heart of The Great Escape. Voted for by TGE delegates, the award recognises the artist who has performed at the festival that year and made the most powerful impression through their originality, vision and creative impact. Named in memory of the late Steve Strange, a hugely respected live agent and champion of emerging talent, the award shines a spotlight on the artists shaping what’s next, with the winner announced after the festival.
Additional Major Partners
Lead Education Partner: BIMM Institute
Charity Partner: CALM
Lead Country Partner 2026: New Zealand (The New Zealand Music Commission & Live Nation New Zealand)
Delegates can expect curated New Zealand showcases, industry panels, networking receptions and cultural spotlight programming.
4,000+ Delegates. One Agenda-Setting Week.
With over 4,000 global music professionals converging in Brighton, The Great Escape Conference remains the UK’s most influential meeting point for discovery, debate and deal-making in new music.
More speakers, sessions and partners will be announced soon — making 2026 one of the most dynamic editions yet.
Join Us in Brighton
13–15 May 2026
Be part of the conversations shaping the future of music.