Menu
Futures Forum was launched in 2019 with the intention of providing a meeting place for the next generation of live music industry leaders, where they could exchange ideas and explore the future of the business.
The idea kicked off with a one-day discussion and networking event, held in London each spring, on the final day of the International Live Music Conference – the leading annual gathering of professionals involved in the global touring, festival and live entertainment industries. With ILMC delegates able to attend Futures Forum, the final day of the conference brings together the people that currently define the business with the emerging execs who are driving its evolution.
Leaving traditional conference formats behind, the Futures Forum event offers TED Talk-style presentations with thought leaders, immersive workshops, peer-to-peer networking, mentor sessions and keynote interviews with world renowned artists and professionals. To ensure topics and content at Futures Forum are as relevant as possible, the agenda is steered by our Futures Council (find out more below), which is refreshed each year.
Across three successful editions in 2019, 2020 and 2023, the Futures Forum community has grown to over 200 bright young executives from the international live music industry.
Highlights from the past couple of years include unforgettable keynote interviews with Dua Lipa and her father Dugi in 2019, Team Mumford & Sons (Lucy Dickins, Ben Lovett and Adam Tudhope) in 2020, and Wasserman Music’s Marty Diamond (Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, Janelle Monáe and more) in 2023. The most recent edition of Futures Forum took place on 3 March 2023 at ILMC’s new home, the five-star Royal Lancaster hotel in central London.
The flagship event is supported by year-round content on the Futures Forum website and in the monthly newsletter, highlighting the work and movements of the younger generation. For exclusive interviews and essential news from within the community, as well as invitations to must-attend parties, subscribe to the Futures Forum newsletter.
