MusicSA has named the first 25 speakers for the 2026 Regional and Remote Music Summit, heading to Berrin / Mount Gambier.
The 2026 Regional and Remote Music Summit runs from 28 to 30 October on South Australia’s Limestone Coast, pulling industry figures from every state and territory into one country town.
It’s built for people making careers happen outside the capitals: touring bookers, venue operators, artists, researchers and the workers quietly holding local scenes together.
Regional and Remote Music Summit
- 28 to 30 October
- Berrin / Mount Gambier, South Australia
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around Melbourne here.
The schedule
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Day one belongs to the South Australian Regional Music Roundtable, where the state’s regional music communities gather to name shared priorities and set the agenda for what follows.
Day two looks ahead to 2035 and asks what a nationally connected regional and remote music system could actually look like. Sessions cover leadership beyond the capitals, the reality of building an artist career from the country, and fresh ways of defining sustainable success.
Day three gets practical, digging into the infrastructure, investment and collaboration the sector needs. Expect sessions on touring circuits, venues and festivals, workforce development, First Nations social and emotional wellbeing, emerging business models and new national research.
The lineup
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The confirmed 25 span labels, peak bodies, festivals, universities and artist management, including Music Australia director Millie Millgate, Regional Arts Australia executive director Ros Abercrombie, UNIFIED artist manager Maddy Smith and MusicNT executive director Mark Smith.
Also on the program are researchers Dr Ben Green from RMIT University and Dr Christen Cornell from Creative Australia, alongside independent label operators from Gutwrench Records, Rock Lock Records and Chop Street Music.
The first 25 speakers
- Alex Pinte — Director, Wildlive
- Ant McKenna — General Manager, Australian Live Music Business Council
- Dr Ben Green — Researcher, RMIT University
- Bronwyn Coulston — Stakeholder Engagement Manager (Arts), Service and Creative Skills Australia
- Dr Christen Cornell — Research Fellow and Manager, Research Partnerships, Creative Australia
- Colin U’Ren — President, Lyrebird Arts Council Committee
- David Corbet — The Sound Doctor
- Daan Steffens — Founder, Gutwrench Records
- Emily Tulloch — Acting General Manager, Australian Music Industry Network
- Gareth Lewis — Director, General Admission Entertainment
- Jack Lane — Owner, Rock Lock Records
- Jana Hesketh — General Manager, Government, Communities and Impact, Queensland Music Festival
- Jeremy Conlon — Regional Areas Music Program Coordinator, MusicNT
- Letisha Ackland — Director, Balya Productions
- Loren Kronemeyer — Artistic Director, The Unconformity
- Maddy Smith — Artist Manager, UNIFIED
- Mark Smith — Executive Director, MusicNT
- Millie Millgate — Director, Music Australia
- Nicole Wright — Director, Neighbourhood Productions
- Nur Azman — Co-Owner, Chop Street Music
- Rob Edwards — Musician
- Ros Abercrombie — Executive Director, Regional Arts Australia
- Sophie Edwards — Artist and Producer
- Scott Maxwell — Educator
- Stu Watters — Director, Morph Consulting
MusicSA manages and delivers the summit in partnership with the Australian government through Music Australia and the South Australian government through the Music Development Office. Further speakers and the full program are due in coming weeks.
For more information, head here.
