Regional & Remote Music Summit Reveals First 25 Speakers For 2026

Additional speakers, as well as the full Summit program, will be announced in the coming weeks.

The Regional and Remote Music Summit is heading to South Australia in October, and today, MusicSA has revealed the first 25 speakers – as well as this year’s themes – for the annual music industry initiative.

Taking place in Berrin/Mount Gambier from Wednesday, 28 to Friday, 30 October, leading Australian industry figures will gather to discuss creativity in the regions, strengthening touring networks, and amplifying the voices of artists and music workers who don’t live in metropolitan cities.

Among the first speakers confirmed to appear at this year’s Summit are Ant McKenna (Australian Live Music Business Council), Dr Ben Green (RMIT University), Dr Christen Cornell (Creative Australia), Daan Steffens (Gutwrench Records), Emily Tulloch (Australian Music Industry Network), Jeremy Conlon (MusicNT), Maddy Smith (UNIFIED), Millie Millgate (Music Australia), Ros Abercrombie (Regional Arts Australia), and more. Check out the full list of speakers below.

A press release notes that Day One of the initiative will include the South Australian Regional Music Roundtable, Day Two will focus on the future, and Day Three is about action and implementing the Summit’s findings.

In a statement, MusicSA CEO Christine Schloithe said of hosting this year’s Regional and Remote Music Summit, “We’re delighted to share the first release of program highlights and guest panellists for this year’s Regional and Remote Music Summit.”

Schloithe continued, “From the SA Roundtable on Day One through to the final session, every element of this program centres the lived experience of regional artists and industry workers, and the conversations we have in Berrin/Mount Gambier will shape how industry connects, supports and sustains regional music for the future.”

South Australian Deputy Premier and Minister for Arts, Kyam Maher MLC, added, “The Malinauskas Labor Government is proud to support the 2026 Regional & Remote Music Summit in Berrin/Mount Gambier and welcome music industry leaders from across Australia to South Australia's Limestone Coast, and I’m personally pleased to see this event come to my hometown of Mount Gambier.

"Regional communities have always played a vital role in Australia's music story, producing exceptional artists, building strong local scenes and enriching our cultural life.”

Adding that the Summit offers an “important opportunity” for regional creatives to connect, share ideas and strengthen the future of music coming from regional and remote communities, Maher said hosting the event in South Australia “reflects our commitment to creating opportunities for artists and music workers while ensuring regional voices help shape Australia's music industry."

This year’s Summit is managed and delivered by MusicSA in partnership with the federal government through Music Australia and the South Australian government’s Music Development Office.

Additional speakers, as well as the full Summit program, will be announced in the coming weeks. You can find out more about this year’s initiative via the Regional and Remote Music Summit website.