BMC27 PROGRAMME TBA
THEATRE 4
INDUSTRY
QUARTERS
187-193 Kings Rd, Brighton, Brighton BN1 1NB
Sponsored by
THURS 21st MAY 2026
10.00: AFEM’S GUIDE TO PUBLISHING DEALS FOR ARTISTS AND MANAGERS (in association with AFEM)
Music publishing is one of the most valuable and most misunderstood income streams for artists.
This 101-level session breaks down the fundamentals of publishing deals from an artist and manager perspective, covering how different deal structures work, what rights are being granted, and which terms matter most in negotiation.
Moderator: Mandy Salem-Aubry (MSA Music Services)
Charlotte De Vega (Material Music)
Shamus Damani (Defected)
Vicky Taylor (Truelove)
11.00am: SYNC
Our annual SYNC panel takes a deep dive into one of the music industry’s fastest growing and most competitive spaces; getting music placed across film, TV, advertising, gaming, and digital media.
Bringing together sync specialists, music supervisors, publishers, and industry professionals, this panel explores how tracks are selected, what makes music sync-ready, and how artists can create opportunities beyond streaming and live performance.
From understanding licensing and publishing to building relationships and pitching music effectively, the discussion offers practical insight into how sync works behind the scenes and how emerging artists, producers, and songwriters can position themselves for placements in today’s media landscape.
Moderator: Gemma Farrington (Sentric)
Ad Savage (Sync Savage)
Calum Price (Supervisor/Creative Strategist MassiveMusic)
Rebecca Cribb (ITV / Love Island)
Rosie Stephens (Media Arts Lab)
12.00pm: BEATPORT INDUSTRY HOUR
The Beatport Industry Hour will cover updates from across the company including Genres, Greenroom, Events, Tickets, Best Practices and more – including the all-important Top 10 Best Selling Genre reveal!
Moderator: Alex Branson (Chief Commercial Officer)
Grace George (Label Relations Manager)
Lynda Phoenix (Head of B2B Marketing)
1.00pm: TURNING BEATS INTO BUSINESS: HOW TO GET PAID AS A MUSIC CREATOR (in association with PRS for Music)
Turning Beats into Business: How to Get Paid as a Music Creator.
Whether you’re self-releasing or signed to a major, a sustainable career requires mastering the business behind the music.
From streaming and sync to DJ sets and radio plays, electronic music offers diverse income streams – enabled by copyright and metadata.
Join our panel of experts as they explore how labels, managers, publishers, and PRS for Music work with artists to ensure they get paid.
Moderator:Ashley Howard (PRS for Music)
Ceylan Göksel (Creative Publishing / Songs In The Key Of Knife / Hospital Records)
Mark Milsted (Phoenix Business Management)
Millie Ellenger (Artist manager / Frame Artists)
Roxanne Oak (Relationship Manager / PPL)
2.00pm: AI SLOP
Streaming sites allowing fake music made by AI
Moderator: Sunita Dhaliwal (TEA)
Aly Gillani (Bandcamp)
Danny J Lewis
Andy Melchior (Genotone Ltd / Massive Attack / Björk’s producer)
Rob Made (MuseMe.ai)
Silvia Montello (Voicebox Consulting)
3.00pm: HOW TO BREAK THROUGH (in association with Xelon)
Beyond The Upload: How To Breakthrough
In amongst the constant stream of new music hear from a panel about what strategies artists, labels and distributors are using to help new releases stand out from the crowd.
Moderator: Silvia Montello (Voicebox Consulting)
Grace George (Beatport)
Malena Wolfer (POCKETS)
Jack Lawrenson (Xelon)
4.00pm: PREPPING FOR THE FUTURE (in association with rightsHUB)
How you can grow your brand/business in an ever changing environment.
Here we take a selection of established and new music businesses alike to share their knowledge around how to structure your business to ensure growth for the brand and artists alike.
Looking at the the challenges and opportunities they have faced in the past and what they expect to see in the future…
Moderator: Lee Morrison (rightsHUB)
Kayleigh Ramchand-Bentley (Distiller/Various Artists Management)
Gemma Fox (Fox Music Consultancy)
Graham Sahara (Sahara Music Group/Electronic Nature)
Joel Sumerling (Strategic Music Management)
5.00pm: LABEL Q&A – ARMADA MUSIC
The Armada Music Q&A offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from one of the world’s leading electronic music labels.
As a global force in dance music, Armada Music has helped shape the careers of some of the scene’s biggest artists while consistently championing new talent across house, trance, melodic, and crossover electronic music. 🎧🔈
This interactive session dives into the inner workings of a major independent label. From A&R and artist development to marketing, streaming strategy, and what labels are really looking for in today’s evolving industry.
Attendees will also have the chance to ask questions directly, gaining valuable insight into navigating the modern dance music landscape as an artist, producer, or future industry professional.
Moderator: Vicky Devine
Ben Malone (General Manager, A&R)
Jamaica Rose (Legal & Business Affairs Manager)
Jason Ellis (Global Senior A&R Director)
Stijn Versteeg (Senior Creative Manager, Armada Music Publishing)
Susanne Hazendonk (Vice President Marketing & Digital Commerce)
FRI 22nd MAY 2026
10.00: SUPERCHARGING ELECTRONIC SCENES – SUPPORTING GROWING REGIONS ACROSS THE UK (in association with Skiddle)
As electronic music expands beyond traditional hubs, focus is shifting towards developing regional scenes and the talent within them, helping them to realise their potential through free tools, workshops, mentorship schemes and bursaries.
Addressing the key challenges currently facing these areas, including regional inequality and increasing artist booking fees, panellists will also consider how targeted industry support can strengthen local communities and the wider economy.
Join voices from a list of leading organisations as they explore how the music sector is rallying to support emerging promoters outside major UK cities.
Moderator: Pete Jordan (AMAAD)
Ben Price (PRS)
Finlay Johnson (AFEM)
Laurie Oliva (Help Musicians)
Hannah Deeble (Arts Council)
11.00: BREAKING THE GLASS CEILING (in association with shesaid.so)
Presented by the shesaid.so Brighton Chapter, this session brings together successful women working in the electronic music, who will share their experiences and insights and how they overcame challenges to succeed and break the glass ceiling.
Moderator: Nikki McNeill (Global Publicity)
Emile Birks (Beatport)
Emma Cordell (Downtown)
Trina Smith (Sourcery Collective)
Shanae Dennis (The Team)
12.00pm: CREATIVITY WITH GUTS: BOLD IDEAS POWERING THE FUTURE OF ELECTRONIC MUSIC (in association with Skiddle)
In an increasingly competitive landscape, standing out requires more than just a strong lineup.
This panel brings together representatives from some of the most influential brands in electronic music to explore how promoters, events and artists are using bold, creative strategies to grow and engage audiences.
From building dedicated online communities to nurturing fans through owned channels like WhatsApp, the discussion will spotlight the shift towards more direct, meaningful connections.
It will also cover the power of carefully curated lineups and co-promotion – collaborating with well-aligned businesses such as record shops and radio stations to spread the word.
Focused on practical innovation, this session offers insight into the ideas and approaches currently shaping the future of electronic music promotion.
Moderator: Pete Jordan (AMAAD)
Carly Sharman (Skiddle)
Jerome Prud’Homme (Volks)
Pete Jordan (LWE/AMAAD)
SAVSSOUNDS (ALTVERSE)
Stuart Knight (Toolroom/Fools Paradise)
1.00pm: PR DEEP DIVE
Narrative first, song second…
Why the story is the key to unlocking successful PR
For DJs, Label Managers, Artist Managers, Marketeers, Promoters, Journalists and PR’s.
We have all witnessed the seismic marketing landscape change. PR now sits differently. Before we could rely on the music release to do the talking. Media gatekeepers decided on a tracks success. That process has now changed with fan reaction opening doors to better press and promo.
Now more than ever it is imperative that you show your authenticity and tell your personal story to get people to care when planning your PR campaign.
Moderator: Toni Tambourine
Clara Suess (Suess Media)
Dujon Fairweather (Listen UP)
Simon Tillotson (Neighbourhood PR)
Sunita Dhaliwal (TEA)
2.00pm: LABEL CONTRACTS (in association with Creative Law)
Our Label Contracts panel breaks down one of the most important, and often misunderstood, areas of the music industry: signing deals and protecting your rights as an artist.
Featuring legal experts, label executives, and experienced industry professionals this panel explores what artists should really look out for before signing on the dotted line.
From advances, royalties, licensing, and ownership rights to negotiating fair terms and understanding what makes a “good deal,” the session offers practical, real-world insight into how label agreements work across today’s music industry.
Whether you’re an emerging artist or already releasing music, this is essential knowledge for navigating contracts with confidence and protecting your long-term career.
Moderator: Dean Marsh (Creative Law)
Jasmine Reeder (CTRLFRK)
Jules O’Riordan AKA Judge Jules (Global DJ / Lawyer, Sound Advice)
Robert Luis (Tru Thoughts)
Shamus Damani (Defected / Advice In Media Limited)
3.00pm: VINYL
Making Records
A comprehensive look at the full lifecycle of a record, from the final master to the moment it lands on your turntable.
Bringing together experts from across the entire chain. From mastering and stamper cutting to pressing plant legends, turntable specialists and DJs.
This panel breaks down how records are made and what it takes to get them onto your decks. It also examines the environmental impact of vinyl production, highlighting emerging solutions such as sustainable compounds made from vegetables that are helping reshape the future of pressing.
A unique opportunity to explore the craft, technology, and evolving ethics behind physical music.
Moderator: Marc Carey (Evovinyl)
Angela Randall (Brighton Vinyl)
Kevin da Costa (Brighton Vinyl)
Lawrie Dunster (Curve Pusher)
Lucy Johnson (PROCESS)
Madison True (Vinyl Bitch / MADDØG)
Stefanie Baron (Technics)
4.00pm: WHAT’S ACTUALLY HAPPENING WITH AI AND MUSIC? (in association with PRS for Music)
Join industry voices to cut through the hype and unpack what AI really means for electronic music.
From the latest government policy debates to practical industry approaches, this session explores what’s coming next and how the music ecosystem can adapt responsibly and creatively.
Moderator: Ashley Howard (PRS for Music)
Bina ‘B’ Mistry, VP, Music; BALA at SoundCloud
Camille Forey (Copyright Manager, Warp Publishing)
Hayleigh Bosher (Associate Professor in Intellectual Property Law at Brunel University)
5.00pm: NTIA ELECTRONIC MUSIC REPORT – From Free Parties to Global Soft Power: Electronic Music Beyond Economics (in association with NTIA)
Drawing on the Night Time Industries Association’s Electronic Music Report, this panel explores the true value of electronic music to the UK.
Beyond jobs, tourism and exports, the scene continues to evolve, from the rise of free parties and grassroots raves to globally recognised clubs and festivals.
It remains a powerful cultural force, driving community, creativity and the UK’s soft power on the world stage.
As pressures mount and the landscape shifts, the conversation will also examine how politicians view and value the sector, and what’s needed to support its future.
Moderator: Michael Kill (CEO NTIA)
Alan Fitzpatrick (DJ & Producer)
Emilie Birks (COO, Beatport)
Sam Spencer (Director of Operations, Broadwick Live)
COUNTDOWN TO #BMC27
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