As BIGSOUND readies the full launch of its 25th edition program next month, organisers have detailed the dedicated Ideas & Innovation Hub which will feature at this year’s event.
The dedicated conference space sits at the centre of BIGSOUND’s theme of ‘Creatives in Conversation’, serving as a hub for music industry, educators, technology, and government stakeholders to gather and explore the ideas and conversations shaping the future of Australian music.
With key partnerships in the worlds of Technology and Education, the Hub launches programming that focuses on music education, emerging technologies, and innovation.
The Technology Stream is co-programmed by Australian non-profit organisation CAST (Centre for Arts, Sports And Technology), with Emmy Award-winning composer, producer, multi-instrumentalist, author, and investor, Lucas Cantor Santiago, confirmed as an industry guest.
Cantor Santiago’s journey is a unique one, given that he himself had to overcome a scepticism of tech itself, but now boasts a career featuring credits spanning Olympic broadcasts, Super Bowl and Fox Sports campaigns, while serving as the Founder and General Partner of Mindset Music Tech, a venture firm investing in music technology.
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“I spent a lot of my career deeply sceptical of technology’s role in music, so I understand why these conversations can bring up real tension,” he explains. “What changed my mind was getting closer to the work itself — not in theory, but in practice.
“I’m looking forward to joining BIGSOUND and having an honest conversation about where technology can support creativity, where caution matters, and what the industry should be paying attention to now.”
Meanwhile, the dedicated Education Stream debuts as a partnership with AMPLIFY Music Education, who help in delivering a program that firmly centres music educators as part of the broader industry.
"We are thrilled to launch BIGSOUND’s first dedicated education stream within the Ideas and Innovation Hub, giving music educators a crucial opportunity to be a direct part of the industry they play such a huge role in building,” says AMPLIFY Co-Founder Natalie Kradolfer.
“True innovation requires a strong pipeline from the classroom to the sector, and this partnership ensures our educators are seated at the table. We look forward to collaborating with government, industry leaders, and the founders to champion the social and economic benefits music education delivers to the next generation."
As part of the BIGSOUND Ideas & Innovation Hub, this year’s Music Start Up Tech Showcase has also opened applications for startups. Last year saw more than 50 startups from around the world apply, with applications open for innovative companies from across the world that are reshaping how music is made, shared, and experienced.
The selection committee – including Van Picken (Global Director of Music Strategy, TEG), Drew Thurlow (Investor, Mindset Ventures), Sophie Robertson (TEN13), and Yvan Boudillet (Music Tech Europe) – will shortlist startups to pitch live at BIGSOUND, while an additional cohort will be featured in a digital publication, giving them visibility across the CAST network and the broader Australian music industry.
Applications for the Music Start Up Tech Showcase close at 12pm AEST on July 24th, with applicants required to create a CAST profile to apply.
BIGSOUND takes place in Brisbane from September 1-4. The full program will be announced next month, with a number of performers, international guests, and musicians appearing on the Artists In Conversation line-up already announced.
