Booking agents play a crucial role in building international live careers, connecting artists with tours, showcase festivals, clubs and major festival opportunities. But how do booking agents actually decide which artists they want to work with, and how much infrastructure does an artist need before an agent is willing to come on board?

Bringing together international booking professionals, this practical discussion will explore what agents look for beyond the music itself. In today’s highly competitive live sector, talent alone is rarely enough. Live performance, audience potential, team structure, strategy, market readiness, consistency and long-term vision all influence whether an artist is considered ready for international touring.

The panel will also tackle one of the biggest questions facing artists from smaller and emerging markets: Can a self-managed artist realistically secure an international booking agent? How important are a manager, label, publisher or distributor before an agent is prepared to invest time and resources? And at what stage does it make sense to seek representation?

Designed for artists, managers and music professionals, the session will offer an honest look at how booking relationships are built, what agents expect from their partners, and how artists can best prepare themselves for international live opportunities.

Folk, traditional, ethnic, post-folk or world music? As Latvia’s folk and traditional music scene experiences a new wave of creativity—from experimentation across genres to interpretations of historical repertoire—the terms we use influence how this music is understood, preserved and promoted.

This discussion explores what these labels mean and where the boundaries lie between inherited traditions and contemporary hybrids. How are genre names understood in Latvia and internationally? How does choosing a particular label affect the music’s positioning, its ability to reach audiences and the creative process itself?

Latvia is already connected to Europe’s music ecosystem through festivals, networks, associations and exchange programmes. Yet for many artists, managers, labels, venues and promoters, those connections can still feel distant. How do these initiatives work, who can benefit, and what does it take to turn participation into lasting opportunities?

Latvians are sometimes described as viensētnieki: independent, resourceful and used to working behind their own fences. That spirit has strengths, but cooperation can help the music sector achieve more. Bringing together European initiatives and Latvian and Baltic music professionals, this panel will explore how to make existing connections more accessible, coordinate locally and open more doors across Europe.

The panel will be followed by a presentation of the new Latvian Independent Music Association (LAIMA).

For artists from Latvia, the Baltics and other smaller markets, access to major editorial playlists and influential international media can be limited. Third-party playlists and music submission platforms may offer another route to discovery – but how do they actually work, and do they deliver meaningful results?

This panel examines what artists are paying for, how curators select music, whether placements translate into real listeners and career development, and whether these platforms are opening doors or simply creating a new layer of gatekeepers.

Music lawyers are rare in Latvia and across the Baltics, but the need for clear contracts is real. What should you check before signing a management, recording, publishing or distribution deal? What can you do when an agreement is unclear or when there is no written agreement at all?

Sign up and submit your burning question in advance. An experienced music industry lawyer will address selected questions during this practical Q&A session.

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Diaspora communities can be an important first audience when artists enter new markets — filling venues, generating word of mouth and showing promoters that demand exists. But can that advantage also become a trap?

For artists from non-major music markets, particularly those working in less widely spoken languages, international shows can quickly become “concerts for their own people abroad”, making it harder to reach local audiences. Data can complicate the picture further: streams and followers may show an audience in London, Berlin or Dublin — but how do you know whether you are reaching local listeners or your diaspora?

And while global successes in Spanish, Korean and other languages suggest that language barriers are disappearing, does the same apply to languages spoken by only a few million people?

This panel explores when diaspora is a bridge and when it becomes a ceiling — and how artists and their teams can use audiences, language and data to build beyond it.

Following the passing of Latvian music journalist, researcher, author and music lover Klāss Vāvere, countless people shared how his radio programmes, compilations, writing and recommendations had shaped their musical taste. The response revealed not only the scale of his influence, but also the powerful role once held by individual music tastemakers.

Who plays that role today? Are music journalists, radio hosts, DJs and record-store experts still able to build trust and introduce audiences to unfamiliar music or has their influence been replaced by streaming algorithms, editorial playlists, content creators and online communities? Is there still space for a tastemaker who connects music across genres, generations and cultural contexts, rather than simply responding to what is already popular?

This panel explores how musical taste is formed today, what has been lost in the shift from human curation to personalised recommendations, and why knowledgeable, curious and trusted voices may matter more than ever.

With dozens of showcase festivals taking place across Europe each year, knowing where to apply can be just as important as being selected. This practical guide explores the European showcase landscape, explaining how festivals differ, which career stages they best serve, what delegates attend, how artists are selected, and how to maximise the opportunities before, during and after a showcase performance.

What makes a jazz scene stronger when its community is small and resources are limited? This panel looks at the work behind the scenes: how venues, festivals, promoters and artists build lasting connections, and where a growing scene should focus its efforts first.

It will explore what makes a promoter take a chance on an artist from an unfamiliar market, how Latvian jazz musicians can become more visible internationally, and what jazz professionals could start doing differently tomorrow.

Cities often look to established cultural capitals such as Berlin, Amsterdam or London for inspiration. Venues, creative districts and music initiatives borrow their language and aesthetics, while artists and professionals travel abroad in search of credibility, connections and international visibility. But what makes a city develop a cultural identity that others want to discover?

A meaningful music scene cannot simply be branded into existence. It grows through artists, venues, promoters, labels, media and audiences, but it also depends on the conditions a city creates: accessible spaces, nightlife policies, funding, infrastructure and the freedom to experiment.

Bringing together cultural practitioners and city representatives, this panel explores how public policy and grassroots culture can work together without making local scenes feel artificial or institutionally manufactured. How can Riga, Tallinn and Vilnius strengthen their own cultural identities rather than trying to become the “next Berlin”? And what does it take for a city to grow from a place that exports talent into a cultural destination in its own right?

Learn how digital distributors differ, what they offer beyond delivering music to streaming platforms, and how to choose the right partner for your career. This practical session explores distribution models, contracts, fees and release support, alongside DSP policies on AI-generated music—including what artists can do when their music is wrongly flagged as AI-generated.

Topics include:

• Distribution models and access: the different types of distributors, who they serve and how to access their services.
• Finding the right partner: choosing a distributor that fits your career stage and release goals.
• Fees and payments: revenue-share versus subscription models, additional charges and payment structures.
• Contracts: key terms, exclusivity and common red flags.
• Metadata and ISRCs: why accurate release information matters for identification, discoverability and royalties.
• Playlist pitching: editorial and third-party playlists, what distributors can and cannot offer, and how approaches differ across markets.
• Analytics and reporting: using release data and audience insights to inform your next steps.
• Catalogue management: switching distributors and protecting the continuity of your releases.
• AI policies and disputed flags: understanding DSP rules on AI-generated music, what happens when a release is wrongly flagged, and how your distributor can help you challenge that decision.
• Before you sign: a practical checklist of essential questions to ask a potential distribution partner.

Latvia has classical performers, composers and conductors working at the highest international level. Many build their careers with foreign agents, labels and publishers. If the talent is here, why has more of the business infrastructure around it not developed locally?

Classical music is often treated as art, education and cultural heritage, with little attention paid to its entrepreneurial side. Is the perception that this field belongs mainly to public institutions a legacy of the past, or does it reflect the realities of today’s market? What opportunities are there for Latvian artist managers, independent ensembles, promoters, labels and publishers, and what would they need to grow?

Bringing together artists, independent professionals and public institutions, this panel asks what it takes to build a classical music career from Latvia, and whether a stronger local private sector could help world-class talent reach the world.

AI can compose a song, imitate a voice, generate a logo and help develop a patentable technology. But who owns the result, whose existing work went into it, and who gets paid?

Bringing together perspectives from copyright, neighbouring rights, patents and trademarks, this discussion looks at where today’s IP rules provide answers and where creators, businesses and policymakers are still negotiating them.

In many small music markets, limited resources and a lack of specialised industry infrastructure mean that music managers often wear multiple hats. Beyond career strategy, they may also be responsible for booking, concert promotion, tour management, label services, PR, digital marketing, social media, project management, administration and even personal assistance. But is this sustainable? And, more importantly, is it the best way to build an artist’s career?

This practical session explores what a music manager’s core role should be in today’s music industry, how responsibilities can be divided as an artist’s career grows, and how artists and managers can build healthier, more effective working relationships.

Topics include:

• What is a music manager’s primary role.
• Which responsibilities belong to a manager and which don’t.
• Strategy versus day-to-day administration.
• When is it time to build a wider team.
• How do successful management structures differ between small and established music markets.
• How can managers avoid burnout while creating long-term value for their artists.

 

As the European Music Managers Alliance (EMMA) represents music managers across Europe, this session provides an opportunity to compare different management models, share best practices, and discuss how the profession can continue to develop in smaller music markets.

What happens between the first creative brief and the moment we hear music in a film or video game? A song might be chosen from hundreds of possibilities, while an original score begins with finding a composer who understands the story and the world being created. Along the way, creative ambitions meet budgets, licensing negotiations and questions about who owns the music.

Films and games are also places where audiences discover and rediscover music. A scene can introduce someone to an artist they have never heard before or give a familiar song an entirely new meaning. A game can make a score part of a player’s life for hours. The music’s journey may continue through soundtrack releases, streaming platforms, live performances and new uses beyond the original production.

Bringing together music supervision and composition perspectives, this panel follows music from the brief to its life beyond the screen. How are songs and composers discovered and chosen for a production? How does that placement help audiences discover or rediscover the music in turn? And what needs to happen with rights, credits and registration so that its creators share in the value of that second life?

Europe is often discussed as a unified music market, yet the realities of its music industries remain deeply unequal. While Western Europe debates market consolidation, catalog acquisitions and increasing concentration of ownership, many Eastern European markets are still focused on building the basic infrastructure needed to support artists and music companies.

The region itself is far from uniform. Larger markets, such as Poland and Romania, have developed stronger domestic music industries and internationally active companies. Meanwhile, the Baltic states and many smaller European markets continue to face shrinking local infrastructure, with fewer labels, publishers, management companies and investment than two decades ago.

Can Europe have a truly diverse and competitive music ecosystem when some markets are consolidating while others are still struggling to develop labels, publishers, management companies and investment?

Bringing together independent music entrepreneurs, policymakers, researchers and international industry representatives, this discussion will explore how to bridge these structural divides and build a more balanced and sustainable European music industry.

Introducing SNACK, a new showcase for emerging experimental sound artists from the Nordic and Baltic region, initiated by Riga’s adventurous music festival Skaņu mežs.

Bringing together the organisers of SNACK and representatives of Malmö’s Inkonst and Intonal Festival, this session presents the showcase’s vision, its connection to the Nordic-Baltic experimental music network NERDS, and the opportunities it creates for emerging artists. The discussion explores how cross-border collaboration, independent festivals and grassroots networks can support experimental music and help new artists reach international audiences.

What should European artists and music businesses know about reaching audiences in Asia? With a particular focus on China, Ni Bing explores how music is discovered, promoted and monetised, and how platforms, fan communities and local partnerships shape opportunities for international artists. The presentation offers an introduction to China’s music ecosystem, from streaming and short video to artist deals, live music and fan culture. Looking across selected Asian markets, it also considers touring opportunities and different approaches to supporting music exports. Ni Bing then introduces Go Physical, an initiative exploring the possibilities of vinyl, cassette-inspired digital players, listening bars, merchandise and creative collaborations. Bringing together human curation, physical products and shared listening experiences, it asks how artists can create new routes to discovery and deepen their connection with audiences.