9:00 - 9:45

Registration, coffee and pastries​

9:45 - 9:55

Opening Remarks

Welcome back. A short introduction to the day ahead, building on the conversations from Day 1.

9:55 - 10:35 | Focus Session

Music as a Pillar of Peace and Recovery

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Speakers

• Jake Groshong, CEO,  Playing For Change

• Iryna Lobanok, mainstream music programme manager, Ukrainian Institute

• Ahmed Saqer, Director, Palestine  Music Expo

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In the face of conflict and displacement, music is far more than a soundtrack, it is a tool for survival, diplomacy, and reconstruction. This session brings together frontline voices from Palestine and Ukraine alongside a global development organization to explore the role of music in high-stakes environments. Discover how cultural programs serve as vital infrastructure for trauma recovery, community mobilization, and the preservation of national identity during times of crisis. Learn how to integrate music into international development frameworks to build resilient, peaceful futures.

10:35 - 11:30 | Panel

The Policy Remix: Bold Solutions for Resilient Music Cities All Over The World

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Moderator: Sean Adams, Founder and DrownedinSound
 

Speakers: 

• Alice Glenn, Executive Vice President, New Orleans & Company    

• John Graham, Minister for Music, New South Wales

• Yaw Owusu, Creative Director, Nothing But the Music

• Susannah Tantemsapya, Creative Migration

• Eddie Hatitye, Executive Director,  Music In Africa Foundation

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Cities worldwide are facing urgent challenges, from venue closures to artist displacement, that demand creative solutions. This session explores how cities have used bold policy to solve real-world crises, from venue protection to artist housing, moving beyond theory into action. Learn the "how" behind the wins and leave with a practical toolkit to rewrite the rules in your own backyard.

11:30 - 12:10 | Networking

Coffee Break

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A chance to recharge, reflect and continue conversations with speakers and delegates.

12:10 - 12:35 | Fireside Chat

Presented by Generator: Telling and Selling City Stories

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Speakers:

• Dave Haslam, Music Journalist and DJ

• Jez Collins, Birmingham Music Archive​​

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What is important to create a narrative and to celebrate a town or city’s heritage for local pride, attracting tourism, and inspiring the next generations? Manchester-based ex-Hacienda DJ and writer Dave Haslam, and Jez Collins, founder of the Birmingham Music Archive, discuss how this can be achieved and what are the pitfalls.

12:35 - 13:30 | Panel

 The Power of Music City Networks
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Moderator: Sarah Pearson, Co Founder / Co CEO, Beyond The Music
 

Speakers

• Katie Duffy, Head of Arts and Music, Glasgow Life

• Emma Andrau, Humlan

• Mathias Rauch, Head of Creative Cluster, Mannheim Next

• Asa Dýradóttir, Reykjavík Music City

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No city is an island. In the modern creative economy, collaboration is the ultimate competitive advantage. This series of fast-paced presentations showcases the tangible benefits of international music networks and sister cities. From shared talent circuits and cross-border tourism branding to joint policy research and digital innovation hubs, discover how formal partnerships amplify local impact. Hear directly from the leaders who are bridging continents to create a unified global stage, proving that when cities sync their strategies, the entire ecosystem thrives.

13:30 - 15:00 | Networking

Lunch
 

A longer break to refuel, connect and continue conversations with delegates and speakers.

15:00 - 15:40 | Presentations

Strategic Case Studies

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This rapid-fire session presents four high-impact music city strategy case studies.

Topics include:
 

How to Change the World with a Sound System? – Eva Rowson (Managing Director, Bergen Kjøtt)

Bergen Kjøtt is one of the largest music production houses in Norway - and is also a 120 year old former factory never built to be accessible or for culture. Eva Rowson will share how by embracing accessibility as an attitude in everything they do, Bergen Kjøtt has developed into an award-winning building that is changing the inequalities in the music industry and creating a sustainable future for cultural production in the city.
 

LIVE Trust: Funding Work in Support of Grassroots Live Music – Jon Collins, CEO, LIVE (Live music Industry Venues and Entertainment)

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Launched in 2025, LIVE Trust is the live music industry charity created to address the crisis in grassroots music in the UK.  Based on a simple funding mechanic (carve out £1 in tickets for shows over 5,000 capacity) the Trust has quickly grown into a multi-million-pound operation.  Expected to raise c. £6million in 2026 thanks to the support of artists as diverse as Harry Styles, Olivia Dean, Foo Fighters and Rick Astley, the Trust is funding programmes across grassroots venues, artists, promoters, festivals and more.  Agile, transparent and moving at pace, the Trust is committed to fixing the problems in this critical part of our live music ecosystem.

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The Sound Of The City: Bringing Brands Into Local Economies Through Music -  Naomi McMahon, Head of Brands, UMG and Matt Forster, VP Strategy and Insights, UMG

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Anatomy of a Closure: What Can Still Be Done to Prevent Music Venue Closures - Audrey Guerre (Coordinator,  LiveDMA) 

Based on the closure of the Don’t Tell Mama club in Helsinki, Finland, “Anatomy of a Closure” explores why live music venues across Europe are increasingly threatened by noise complaints, urban transformation and inadequate planning policies. Drawing on interviews and examples from cities across Europe, the publication highlights practical solutions including mediation, regulation and night-time governance. Designed as an advocacy tool, it supports dialogue between venues and local policymakers.

15:40 - 17:10 | Workshop

The Music City Policy Hackathon: Designing Public Policy Collectively

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Speakers

• Community Engagement - Ben Lewis, Managing Director, Young Voices

•  Infrastructure - Jett Glozier, Head of Business Development, Sound Diplomacy

• Tourism - Signe Jungersted, CEO, Group Nao

• Sound and Placemaking -Sunil Sharpe, DJ and Music Producer

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Policy is where the change happens. For the last 90 minutes of the conference, attendees will be divided into teams to tackle four of the most difficult challenges facing modern cities: Investment, Sound and Placemaking, Tourism, and Infrastructure. 

Under facilitators' guidance, each team must move from a problem statement to a fully formed policy proposal. The session culminates with each team presenting its solutions to the whole group.

17:10 - 17:15

Closing Remarks 

Final reflections and key takeaways from the Music Cities Convention.​