PAUL KELLY + 100 plus new industry guests
PAUL KELLY TO APPEAR IN SPECIAL ARTIST CONVERSATION SESSION
ARIA, CENTRAL STATION RECORDS, DARK MOFO, LIVE NATION + MORE
Image: Paul Kelly, credit Dean Podmore
Brisbane Magandjin, Queensland – In less than three weeks, the Australian and international music industries will meet for one of BIGSOUND’s most ambitious gatherings to date, celebrating 25 years of music discovery and long-term creative connections.
With all cylinders fired up and hurtling towards Fortitude Valley this September 1-4, BIGSOUND is excited to share the full professional development & hubs program - available online now. Plus a slew of heavy hitting industry names and unmissable panels, workshops and events that are set to take place across the multi-day roll out.
Leading this final round of special guests is BIGSOUND veteran, Australian songwriting icon PAUL KELLY, who will appear in conversation with renowned ABC journalist Sarah Kanowski for a discussion that unpacks the importance of the songwriter and songwriting in shaping our music culture. Presented in conjunction with APRA AMCOS and in celebration of 100 years of Australian songwriting, the opportunity to see one of the country’s most revered and eminent musicians speaking to his practice and the way words can shape a nation’s sound, is unmissable.
"As APRA celebrates 100 years of supporting Australian songwriters, composers and music publishers, and BIGSOUND clocks up 25 years of showcasing the best of our music industry, it seemed only fitting that we bring out one of Australia’s most beloved songwriters, Paul Kelly, as part of the celebrations to talk about Australian songwriting and its impact both here and around the world," said Karen Don, Head of Membership at APRA AMCOS.
PAUL KELLY is joined by a stacked list of more than 100 industry guests being confirmed today, including Annabelle Herd (CEO, ARIA), Hans Schafer (SVP Global Touring, Live Nation), Pete Murray (Artist), Kimberley Galceran (Music Director, Dark Mofo) and Van Picken (Global Head Music Strategy, TEG) all representing different areas of Australian and international music. From label to sync, festival and venue booking, through to music journalists and global business leaders, BIGSOUND 2026 is set to be a gathering for the history books, full of provocative and expertly curated connection opportunities.
Featured on the BIGSOUND conference program, a trained focus on the expansion of Latin music into other cultural and mainstream markets will be represented on the panel ‘Building Like Bad Bunny’. Using the unmatched rise of the Puerto Rican megastar as a key example, international and domestic perspectives are brought together for this event, which will look at how artists can embrace culture and language in building stronger connections between Australia and Latin America. Featuring Hans Schafer (SVP Global Touring, Live Nation), one of the key architects of Latin music’s expansion into international markets, this is an unmissable chance to gain insights into one of contemporary music’s most furtive sectors.
The musician-entrepreneur pipeline in Australia has become a fruitful one in recent years, with creatives solving the need for particular tools in their industry, by building these resources themselves. Hosted by Meg Williams and featuring both Carla Fowler (Create Mate) and Will Cuming (UNIFIED Music Group) this conversation will unpack how to spot gaps in the industry and bridge them.
Marking 50 years of Central Station Records at BIGSOUND, a unique look at music’s past, present and future through the lens of this iconic brand will be hosted by Jennifer Sullivan (CMO, KiTbetter), and features Central Station Records current and previous members Jo Palumbo (Founder), Jamie Raeburn (Managing Director), Matt Nugent (COO) and Ashley Gay (former A&R, now Xelon Digital MD). The 50 year celebrations will kick on at Content House with a birthday party mixer presented by KiTbetter.
The return of dedicated hubs to BIGSOUND this year offers delegates and artists the opportunity to immerse themselves in spaces tailormade for one on one connection, ideas exchange and support. These hubs, presented by Oztix, Spotify, Amplify Music Education and the Centre for Arts, Sport and Technology, are set to host thought-provoking discussions, moments to recharge, and more:
BIGSOUND Ideas & Innovation Hub
Providing the perfect meeting point for two industries to meet, BIGSOUND’s Ideas and Innovation Hub is set to deliver two streams of incredible programming focused on Education (presented by Amplify Music Education) and Technology (presented by the Centre for Arts, Sport and Technology). Offering chances to hear from people deep inside the industry who are actively building and investing in tech, and music education, alongside those who have spent careers in music and entertainment, the BIGSOUND Innovation Hub takes a trained look at what the future looks like when both have a hand in creating it.
Featured guests who are appearing as part of this stream include:
● Andrew Patterson (Form Public School Principal)
● Elinor Williams (Digital Marketing Director, The Annex)
● Professor. Glenn Savage (Professor of Education Futures, University of Melbourne)
● Ian Haug (Artist, Powderfinger / The Church)
● Jane Polley (Curriculum Specialist – The Arts, ACARA)
● Johnno Keetels (Global Founder, True South)
● Kat Gibbs (Head of People and Culture, UNIFIED)
● Matt O’Gorman (Drummer, British India; Radio Announcer, Southern Cross Austereo)
● Dr. James Humberstone (Associate Professor, Sydney Conservatorium)
● Natalie Kradolfer (Co-Founder, Amplify Music Education)
● Pete Murray (Singer/Songwriter)
● Rohan Hardy (Director of Music, St. Andrew’s Anglican College)
● Sam Cromack (Singer/Songwriter, Ball Park Music)
● Sasha McLeod (Singer/Songwriter, SYCCO)
● Sean Foran (Head of School, Sound SAE)
● Viv Mellish (CMO, GYRO. Group)
The BIGSOUND Artist Hub presented by Spotify
BIGSOUND and Spotify are teaming up to present the official Artist Hub on ground this year, offering artists a dedicated space to recharge, connect and discover tools to support their artistic growth. Leah Harris Spotify’s Artist and Label Partnerships Lead said
“We are excited to be back for the second year, throwing our support behind all things backline and artist services. As the presenting partner of the BIGSOUND Artist Hub, we’re championing local sounds through this foundational support for Artists and their creative support systems.”
Kicking off with the daily Turn It Up Aus breakfast, this year's Artist Hub is a space to recharge, connect, and discover tools to support creative professional growth. With sessions ranging from the technical like the Spotify for Artists Masterclass and US Visa Workshop to the informative with the opportunity to meet the Next On booking team from Live Nation. Plus the APRA100 Trivia with Not on Your Rider returns and Marshall will be giving out free headphones at their Marshall Happy Hour Thursday afternoon.
The BIGSOUND Delegate Hub presented by Oztix
And for the BIGSOUND delegates looking to build partnerships the Oztix Delegate Hub is here to serve! The Oztix Delegate Hub is a dedicated space for all networking and connection needs, hosting the new Connect With BIGSOUND networking events presented by partners Luma and QSIC - these sessions offer the best opportunity to connect with international industry guests including buyers, media and brands.
With the highly anticipated Roundtables returning thanks to Xelon Digital, as well as a special encore mixer, presented by AON after the BIGSOUND Decides debate featuring Jamison Kehl (The Push), Annabelle Herd (CEO, ARIA), Jaddan Comerford (CEO/Founder, Unified), Viv Mellish (CMO/Co-Founder, GYRO) Harper Kodicek (Artist) and moderator Lars Brandle (The Brag) - the Delegate Hub is set to be one of BIGSOUND’s programming gems.
BIGSOUND Content House
Now in its second year, the BIGSOUND Content House returns with a custom space for content creators, media, and the music community alike to create content that champions the Australian music industry. The space will activate Tuesday - Thursday with a series of content, marketing and broadcasting panels, discussing everything from how identity takes shape through visual choices to how artists can utilise their social media to grow their audiences. The dedicated content and media creator space, Content House will host media partners, content creators, panels, mixers, parties and the Casio Sunset Sessions with the likes of Sidney and Lara Buchanan.
On Wednesday, GYRO.Group will activate Content House through each of its five brands, with programming built to speak to different corners of the industry. Soothe Sounds kicks things off with Start With Sound, a morning reset featuring live piano sets and complimentary coffee, before G.Y.R.O. hosts From Upload to Impact, a workshop on building a release strategy that works, led by Artist Marketing Lead Alex Knight.
GROUP SPEED follows with The New Music Playbook, a panel on winning the online music game, featuring leading Australian TikTok creator Unice Wani and GYRO.Group General Manager of Marketing Alison Bremner, moderated by Ash McGregor. DistroDirect then teams up with AIR for an Independent Labels Happy Hour, bringing together the people who run, build and grow independent labels and music businesses, before the day wraps with the GYRO.Group Mixer, an informal, no-agenda evening that has become a BIGSOUND tradition.
"Content is one of the most significant aspects of promoting music right now, and it's an area where what we collectively do across the entire GYRO.Group allows us to meaningfully add to the conversation. Partnering with BIGSOUND to program Content House gives us the platform to have those conversations at the highest level with the artists, creators, and industry professionals who are shaping what comes next." says Andy Irvine, CEO of GYRO.Group
"QMusic has built BIGSOUND into one of the most important weeks on the Australian music calendar, and we couldn't think of a better home for the conversations we want to be having. Content House felt like a natural fit right from the beginning."
Throughout Thursday, the space will feature a curated series of panels like ###i
Along with its extensive lineup of live music showcases throughout its duration, BIGSOUND also welcomes back the institution that is the official Oztix party, as well as Live Nation’s Ones To Watch music discovery series - the highly anticipated but very secret line up expected to drop any moment.
The time to start planning is now - check out the full BIGSOUND program lineup and complete your Delegate portal set up!
