ARIA Announces New Conference To Help Upskill Artists And Industry Professionals

ARIA has today announced a new music conference, ARIA Innovator, which will take place on the 25th and 26th of March next year at the NSW State Library. The conference aims to equip Australian music industry professionals and artists with the practical skills, tools and knowledge needed to excel in the ever-growing, complex music market. 

The event will kick off day one with an innovation conference and networking mixer for NSW music industry professionals, followed by the Accelerate workshop on day two, an application-only workshop that aims to help high-performing, mid-senior-level individuals develop extensive leadership skills. The program will be spearheaded by business consultant and media innovation expert Megan Brownlow.

A keynote Q&A with the President of the Recording Academy (GRAMMY) Panos Panay is slated to occur, where he will dive into his highly successful career as a music entrepreneur and share widespread knowledge on how music professionals can achieve global success through innovative strategies. In the keynote, Panay will also discuss the Recording Academy’s intentions to embrace grassroots musicianship from Australasia and beyond. 

Joining Panay as a feature figure in the conference is Gabi Lopes who leads Global Insight at Universal Music and founder of AI Her Way and entrepreneur coach Dr Nici Sweaney. Additional speakers who have leading expertise in and out of the global music industry will be announced over the coming weeks.

In a press release, ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd said the conference and workshop is a refreshing opportunity for artists and industry professionals to engage in active thought leadership and future-facing skills development that will help them not only survive but thrive in the industry.

“This conference will be a game-changer for artists and professionals seeking inspiration and practical skills to turn bold ideas into market-leading breakthroughs,” she said. 

“ARIA Innovator will bring global knowledge to Australian shores and uncover what’s next for music, entertainment and media at large. It is designed to give our industry a competitive edge in centralising leading research, insights and opinion from various industries across one day of exceptional programming.”

Special Minister of State, Minister of Arts and Minister for Music John Graham also said that the ARIA Innovator is an integral move to rebuilding our state’s music sector, while Head of Sound NSW Emily Collins stated that the conference will help individuals “think in new ways about old problems”.

“We are thrilled to support ARIA Innovator as a platform for NSW music industry professionals to think in new ways about both new and old problems. The NSW music industry is at a pivotal juncture and it’s great to see ARIA bringing some of the brightest minds together for the future of music right here in Sydney.”

Panos Panay said, “I’m excited to join ARIA Innovator and help foster a new era of creativity and innovation in the Australian music industry.

“This initiative is an important step in equipping artists and industry leaders with the knowledge and tools to navigate an ever-evolving global landscape. I look forward to sharing insights and exploring how we can harness the power of technology and community to push the boundaries of what’s possible in music.”

ARIA Innovator will take place at the NSW State Library on March 25th and 26th, 2025. Expressions of interest are now open for those who would like to attend, and forms can be completed here.