THURSDAY 27 AUGUST
DAY ONE
THE TERRACE, AOTEA CENTRE
8:30 AM – BELIEVE BREAKFAST
Kick off each day by joining the team from BELIEVE for complimentary coffee and breakfast snacks at The Terrace Cafe at the Aotea Centre.
10:00 AM – MIHI WHAKATAU
WELCOME FROM INDEPENDENT MUSIC NZ & MUSIC COMMISSION
RANGATIRA
10:10 AM – THE AOTEAROA MARKET TODAY
RANGATIRA
Looking at the New Zealand music market information and some of the trends for music from Aotearoa both at home and abroad.
Anthony Healey (APRA AMCOS), Cath Andersen (NZ Music Commission) & Jo Oliver (Recorded Music NZ)
10:45 AM – TOM WINDISH (THE TEAM – US) IN CONVERSATION WITH GEMMA GRACEWOOD (NZ)
RANGATIRA
What do Lisa from BLACKPINK, Viagra Boys, The xx and Stereolab have in common? Tom Windish. From a late ‘90s solo-start up agency in New York to being a mainstay on the Billboard Power 100, Tom has built a career as one of the world's most successful agents. After thirty years in the game, he is still out seeing, signing and developing artists from around the globe. We talk with Tom about his career, the challenges and opportunities in today's global music market, what still inspires him after years of discovering amazing artists and the future trends he sees emerging.
11:45 AM – ASIA NEW ZEALAND FOUNDATION PRESENTS 60% OF THE WORLD: PLANNING FOR MARKETS IN ASIA
RANGATIRA
Asia is dozens of different markets, each with its own platforms, culture and rules of engagement. From Indonesia's booming streaming growth to India's massive youth audience, China's platform-driven ecosystem, and thriving scenes across Thailand and Malaysia, the region represents some of the fastest-growing opportunities anywhere in global music. Our panel brings together industry smarts from across the region and share what it actually takes to get an artist's career started - which platforms matter where, how local partnerships work, navigating language and cultural nuance, and the opportunities for NZ artists right now.
Aaron Winning (Independent Music Association of Thailand – TH/AU), Lucas Canzona (Fairwin – CAN/US), Qisthina Razin (RK Live Asia / Tong Tong – MY), Rafael Pereira (India Music Exchange/Tinnuts – IN) with Craig Cooper (Asia New Zealand Foundation)
Aaron Winning, Qisthina Razin and Rafael Pereira travel courtesy of Asia New Zealand Foundation.
11:45 AM – AFTER DARK COMMUNITIES: DRIVING THE GLOBAL CONVERSATION
THE LOFT
Mirik Milan is one of the world's foremost voices on nightlife, culture and how cities come alive after dark. As Amsterdam's inaugural night mayor from 2012 to 2018, he transformed the city's relationship with its nightlife economy, introducing 24-hour venue licences, reshaping how authorities and clubs work together, and turning a once-informal night culture into a recognised economic and cultural force. His model has since been replicated in cities from London to New York. With VibeLab, Mirik works with cities and governments around the world on nighttime governance, licensing and policy - helping them value nightlife as the cultural, creative and economic powerhouse that is driving the global music economy.
Mirik Milan (VibeLab – DE) in conversation with Shaquille Wasasala (HALFQUEEN – NZ)
12:35 PM – LUNCH BREAK
1:30 PM – PIKPOK: MUSIC EXPORT IS THE GAME
RANGATIRA
Games are one of the fastest-growing opportunities for artists and composers to reach massive, highly engaged audiences right across the world. As NZ’s biggest studio, PikPok's games have been downloaded over 500 million times worldwide with 95% of its revenue from exports - they know how to go global. In this session, we will pull back the curtain on how music and audio actually work inside a game studio - from composing and implementing adaptive soundtracks that respond to gameplay, to how sync deals get made and what studios look for when licensing artist tracks.
Broghan Blackshaw (PikPok – NZ) and Jayde Marter (PikPok – NZ)
1:30 PM – LUME: BUILDING YOUR LUME AS AN EXPORT EPK
THE LOFT
Lume's Duncan Greive will talk you through the new, buzzed about platform's view of an album-centric platform – and how having all your key content in one custom-built space can activate both fans and become a powerful tool to put in front of booking agents, labels and other potential partners. Lume's Director of Artist Relations, Justin Warren, will then lead a short workshop talking through the process of creating a Lume.
Duncan Greive & Justin Warren (LUME – NZ)
1:30 PM – US VISA UPDATE
THE VAULT
It has never been more important, time consuming - and expensive - to secure a work visa for the United States. Based in Los Angeles, DMT Law Firm is one of the premiere music immigration boutiques in the US filing hundreds of O-1B and O-2 petitions annually for artists, crew, management, and others. David will update on the process, time required and what you will need to secure that crucial work permit.
David Melik Telfer (DMT Law Firm – USA) with Alan Holt (NZ Music Commission)
2:10 PM – GOING GLOBAL: UK & EUROPE
RANGATIRA
The UK and Europe remain one of the most important markets for any artist with international ambitions. Home to some of the world's biggest festivals, labels and media platforms - it's also crowded, competitive, and what works in Vienna doesn't necessarily work in London or Amsterdam. We discuss what it actually takes to navigate the UK and European markets, including working across multiple countries and the practical realities of touring and releasing music thousands of kilometres from home.
Andy Jones (Focus Wales – WAL), Christina Austin (Cobra Agency – EU), Marie Robinson (The Great Escape – UK), Romy Harber (BELIEVE/B-Electronic – UK), Tom Brain (JOY Concerts – UK) with Rachel Ashby (NZ)
Andy Jones travels courtesy of the British Council New Zealand and the Pacific.
2:10 PM – MANAGING FOR GLOBAL SUCCESS
THE LOFT
Behind every artist who breaks internationally is a manager helping make the calls that matter. This panel brings together leading music managers to dig into what it actually takes to take an artist from local success to international relevance: building the right team, timing your moves in each market, balancing copyright ownership with the investment you need and avoiding the mistakes that stall momentum just as it's building. Practical, first-hand insight for anyone managing - or being managed - with global ambitions.
Ali Tomoana (Soul Has No Tempo – AU), Dan Nascimento (Community Music – AU), Dave Batty (Custom Made – AU), Jordan Acker (GYRO.Group/Ivy Music Group – AU), Lucas Canzona (Fairwin – CAN/US) with Audrey Siataga (Midnight Swan/MMF – NZ)
3:10 PM – GOING GLOBAL: AUSTRALIA
RANGATIRA
Australia is often the first real step offshore for New Zealand artists - geographically close, a strong live circuit, an active local label and management ecosystem, and an audience with real appetite for new music across genres. Our panel will unpack how to actually break into the Australian market: building the right connections, understanding touring and festival logistics, and what separates artists who make a real dent from those who don't.
Jane Slingo (VibeLab Asia Pacific/ECM – AU), Jordan Acker (GYRO.Group – AU), Mick Tarbuk (Believe – AU), Paul Harris (No Numbers – AU), Niriko McLure (BIGSOUND/Third Person Management – AU) with Maria Amato (AIR – AU)
3:10 PM – THE AGENTS
THE LOFT
Behind every international tour is a booking agent making the deals, building the relationships, and knowing exactly when - and where - an artist should play next. This panel brings together leading booking agents from the UK, US and Australia to pull back the curtain on how the agency world works. We’ll discuss how touring strategy differs market to market and the realities of building a live career from the ground up. This session will share essential insight for anyone looking to understand the live side of the industry and ask the all important question - how do these agents actually discover artists?
Christina Austin (Cobra Agency – EU), Kyle Kernohan (TBA Agency – US), Victoria Kozbanis (CORE – AU), Ari Pascual (TRUST.Artists – UK) with Cuillin Hearty (CUR8 – NZ)
4:00 PM – WAIATA REO KI TE AO, CERDDORIAETH GYMREIG I'R BYD: A WELSH AND MĀORI STORY OF CULTURAL EXPORT
RANGATIRA
Join us for a conversation about what happens when indigenous languages stop being treated as a limitation on export potential and start being treated as the point. Wales and Aotearoa are both home to languages that were once pushed to the margins and are now being carried onto festival stages around the world. Join FOCUS Wales's Andy Jones to unpack the parallels between Cymraeg and te reo Māori revitalisation, the industry infrastructure, the audience appetite, and the responsibility that comes with it.
Andy Jones (Focus Wales – WAL) with the Māori Music Industry Collective (NZ)
Andy Jones travels courtesy of the British Council New Zealand and the Pacific.
5:00 PM – DRINKS RECEPTION AT Q LOUNGE POWERED BY GYRO.GROUP
FRIDAY 28 AUGUST
DAY TWO
THE TERRACE, AOTEA CENTRE
8:30 AM – BELIEVE BREAKFAST
Kick off each day by joining the team from BELIEVE for complimentary coffee and breakfast snacks at The Terrace Cafe at the Aotea Centre.
10:00 AM – BEST LAID PLANS: A YEAR WITH THE BETHS
RANGATIRA
It's been a huge year for The Beths, from Auckland, New Zealand, signing to renowned American label ANTI- Records and releasing their celebrated fourth album, Straight Line Was a Lie. The band have taken the record from home turf to the world stage playing over 100 shows since its release last August. From their first-ever Japan headline tour and Fuji Rock, to major US festival stages, Jimmy Kimmel Live and CBS Mornings, a co-headline run with Spoon, and their biggest-ever Australian headline shows, The Beths have spent the past year proving that Aotearoa indie rock can travel - without losing what makes it distinctly their own. In this keynote interview, the band sits down to reflect on the whirlwind 12 months since release and discuss their new international label deal, the relentless touring schedule, and what they've learned taking their most personal record yet to audiences around the globe.
Ben Sinclair, Jonathan Pearce, Liz Stokes & Tristan Deck (The Beths – NZ) with Russell Brown (NZ)
11:00 AM – UNLOCKING MUSIC EXPORT OPPORTUNITIES FOR AOTEAROA: THE POLITICIANS PANEL
RANGATIRA
Coming up to Election 2026, we have invited political parties from across the spectrum to participate in a moderator-led panel with the framing question: If elected in November, what would your party do to support New Zealand music export?
Join our panel of representatives to hear how they might support opportunities to super-charge the presence, impact and economic contribution of music from Aotearoa on the world stage.
with Henry Oliver (The Spinoff – NZ)
11:55 AM – RECORDED MUSIC NZ PRESENTS: THE FRAMEWORK YOU NEED TO SUCCEED
RANGATIRA
"The boring stuff" can make a significant difference when opportunities arise. Copyright, song registrations, royalties and industry infrastructure are not separate from career growth - they help form the foundation that allows artists to capture the value they create as opportunities emerge globally. This panel explores the practical side of building a sustainable music career: understanding copyright, registrations, royalty collection, neighbouring rights and international collection systems, while also looking at how data - like your Official Aotearoa Music Charts history - can help build visibility and credibility beyond Aotearoa.
Anthonie Tonnon (Artist – NZ), Kaylee Bell (Artist – NZ), Pip Ryan-Kidd (Artist Manager – NZ) with Christy Whelan (Recorded Music NZ)
11:55 AM – DANCE ALL AROUND THE WORLD
THE LOFT
Electronic music is entering a new global growth phase - with global revenues hitting $15 billion, up 7% last year alone, and a deeply engaged fanbase, the appetite for dance music has never been stronger. For New Zealand artists, labels and producers, that growth represents real opportunity - our panel will discuss breaking into international markets, understanding where the demand is, and who you need on your side to go global in the world of electronic music.
Ashley Gay (XELON – AU), Jamie Raeburn (Sweat It Out/Central Station – AU), Jannah Beth (Offbeat Collective – AU) and Romy Harber (BELIEVE/B-ELECTRONIC – UK), Jane Slingo (VibeLab Asia Pacific/ECM – AU) with Martyn Pepperell (DJ/Journalist – NZ)
11:55 AM – PRACTICAL PREP FOR SHOWCASE FESTIVALS
THE VAULT
Getting a slot at a major international showcase festival can be a huge opportunity - first up; how do you get on one? When do you know you are ready? And if you do score the gig, how do you make the most of it and give yourself the best chance before you even land? This session breaks down visas, logistics and promo ahead of time, alongside tips, tricks and the insider knowledge on how to make the most of these industry conferences and showcase opportunities.
Dev Sherlock (SXSW – US), Marie Robinson (The Great Escape – UK), Niriko McLure (BIGSOUND – AU) with Jonathan Boswell (August Avenue – NZ)
12:45 PM – LUNCH BREAK
1:40 PM – ONCE IN A LIFETIME: KAYLEE BELL
RANGATIRA
From Waimate to the world, the now Nashville-based country-pop star has continued to prove that independence and international ambition aren't mutually exclusive. She's shared stages with some of country music's biggest names, built a genuinely global fanbase as a self-managed independent artist, and continues to tour extensively across New Zealand, Australia, the US, UK, Europe and beyond. In this interview with Kaylee, we’ll hear about what it's actually taken to build an international career on her own terms - the wins, the setbacks, and what she's learned taking Kiwi country music to the world.
Kaylee Bell (Artist) in conversation with Charlotte Ryan (NZ)
1:40 PM – A GUIDE TO OUTWARD SOUND
THE LOFT
Outward Sound is the Music Commission’s export programme, which supports artists and music businesses from Aotearoa to take their music to the world. Alan Holt, the Music Commission’s Export Manager, joins us for an overview of the programme.
Alan Holt (NZ Music Commission – NZ)
2:20 PM – GOING GLOBAL: USA
RANGATIRA
The United States remains the ultimate goal for many artists with international ambitions - a massive, fast-moving industry with huge opportunities. But the path in has changed, and the old playbook doesn't always apply. Our panel will unpack how to actually navigate the US market today: what's opening up, what's getting harder, and the practical, on-the-ground knowledge you need before you go.
Adam Lewis (Planetary Group – US), David Melik Telfer (DMT Law Firm – US), Dev Sherlock (SXSW – US), Kyle Kernohan (TBA Agency – US), Tom Windish (THE TEAM – US) with Sarah Thomson (NZ)
2:20 PM – FINDING YOUR PEOPLE
THE LOFT
Building a career as an independent artist means building a network and knowing where to start can be the hardest part. This session gets practical - how to find and plug into the communities that matter for your genre, from local live scenes to the platforms where your peers, collaborators and future industry contacts are actually active. We'll cover how to identify the right people to connect with and approach artists, labels and industry without it feeling transactional, and which social platforms are actually worth your time versus which are just noise.
Aaron Winning (IMAT – TH), Dan Nascimento (Community Music / UNIFIED – AU), Jannah Beth (Offbeat Collective – AU), Qisthina Razin (RK Live Asia / Tong Tong – MY), Tom Brain (JOY Concerts – UK) with Rosetta Stone (95bFM – NZ)
2:20 PM – ASIA NEW ZEALAND FOUNDATION PRESENTS: OPPORTUNITIES IN INDIA
THE VAULT
One of the fastest growing music markets in the world, the scale of India is astounding. Almost 1.5 billion people, 750 million smartphones, 15,000 concerts annually and listeners consume music on average for more than 20 hours per week.
Join our conversation to learn more about the music market in India and how artists from Aotearoa can explore the opportunities.
Rafael Pereira (India Music Exchange & Tinnuts – IN), Pritesh Panchal (Sohum.Artist.Services – NZ/IN) with Craig Cooper (Asia New Zealand Foundation)
Rafael Pereira travels courtesy of Asia New Zealand Foundation.
3:10 PM – I'VE BEEN THINKING
RANGATIRA
To close things out, a selection of our esteemed guests join us for our annual wrap-up session checking in on what has stuck with them, the conversations that sparked debate, the music that caught their ear, and how it all stacks up against what is happening on their home turf. A candid, unscripted look at the key takeaways from Going Global 2026.
Adam Lewis (Planetary Group – US), Ali Tomoana (Soul Has No Tempo – AU), Dave Batty (Custom-Made – AU), Mick Tarbuk (Believe – AU), Victoria Kozbanis (CORE – AU), Ari Pascual (TRUST.Artists – UK) with Zac Arnold (Sunreturn – NZ)
4:00 PM – SPEED NETWORKING
Q LOUNGE
All speakers