IA25 CONFERENCE FIRST PANELS & SPEAKERS ANNOUNCED
While our lineup will shake Reykjavík this November, our Iceland Airwaves Conference is where the industry side of things gets loud: bold conversations, sharp minds, plus the usual mix of whatever it is when you mix ambition with coffee.
This year’s two-day programme runs alongside our festival and takes place on November 6 & 7. We’ll be talking strategy, survival, and how to stay relevant when the algorithms know your fans better than you do.
Below is a first taste of what’s on the menu on Friday the 7th of November, more panels and brilliant brains will be added soon.
Let’s get to it!
IQ Presents: The State of Live: Fickle fans, brutal budgets, and moving markets
Presented by our friends at IQ Magazine, this one dives into the gritty reality of live music today. How do we keep shows alive when costs are up, attention spans are down, and the algorithm is your biggest competition? Agents, promoters, and festival warriors, including Gordon Masson (Editor at IQ Magazine) and more. will dig into what’s working, what’s not, and what’s next.
Are the Kids Alright? What Young Audiences Want from Showcase Festivals
But like seriously. This panel explores how to actually engage younger crowds at showcase events, not just get them in the room, but give them a voice. Featuring Will Larnach-Jones (SVP Marketing at London Records), Neal Thompson (Co-founder at FOCUS Wales), Lama-sea Dear (Head of Production and Live Events at marvaða), and Snorri Ástráðsson (promotor at All Things Live Denmark), we’ll talk programming, participation, and how to inspire the next generation to show up, speak up, and take part.
AI’m Not Your Enemy: Rethinking Strategy in the Age of Automation
This isn’t your typical AI doom-scroll. Instead, we’ll explore positively how the music industry can actually use AI to work smarter (not weirder). Think personalised fan engagement, AI-powered A&R, automated processes that won’t make your brain hurt and more. With Daddi Guðbergsson (Senior Consultant at E4), Saga Úlfarsdóttir (AI Consultant) and others who know the future isn’t coming, it’s already here.
Dinosaurs or Digital Pioneers? The Future of Collective Rights Management
Presented by STEF, Iceland’s own collective rights management society, this session asks the tough stuff: can traditional rights systems keep up when artists are their own managers, marketers, and meme-makers? Or are we due for a total reboot? Leading the discussion are Guðrún Björk Bjarnadóttir (CEO of STEF), composer and producer Pétur S. Jónsson (Medialux Music), and other experts (to be announced soon) who know what’s broken, and what’s worth saving.
The conference schedule is now live on our website! Oh and yes, we’ve got your back beyond the panels too; expect breakfast to get you going, lunch to keep you sharp, and a daily happy hour where you can unwind, connect, and debrief on all the big ideas (or bond over strong coffee and stronger opinions).
A big shout out to our brilliant partners Iceland Music, Business Iceland, and Reykjavík Music City.
P.S. Price hike incoming next week, so get those tickets now!
