Features
ILMC 35 Expands, Moves To New Venue
The 35th International Live Music Conference (ILMC) will go down in London, England, Feb. 28-March 3, expanding both its program and delegate numbers.
The three-day ILMC 35 event will welcome over 1,200 of the world’s top live music professionals from over 40 countries to the recently upgraded Royal Lancaster Hotel, the venue ILMC’s team had already scoped out for the 34th edition last year until plans changed in the face of a coronavirus variant.
“The move marks the first venue change for ILMC in more than 20 years,” according to the press release announcing the launch of ILMC 35, and is a “response to increasing demand for the industry-leading event. The Royal Lancaster will provide extra space for networking, private meetings and events, all in a first class, newly revamped environment.”
ILMC head Greg Parmley added, “We’re introducing a raft of new elements in 2023, including a series of roundtable Working Lunches, additional conference sessions, and some very special new features we’ll be announcing in the coming weeks that will be a first for ILMC.”
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What hasn’t changed is the celebration of the Arthur Awards, the self-proclaimed “Oscars of the international live music business,” which still take place during ILMC week, on Thursday, March 2. Votes compiled from industry pros around the world will determine the winners, who will be awarded in front of 400 guests. As is tradition, Emma Banks, co-head of CAA’s London office, will host the ceremony.
In addition to the main ILMC schedule, Friday, March 3, sees the return of Futures Forum, a one-day discussion and networking event for the next generation of live music industry leaders. The entire day is created and shaped by young professionals, who will curate a mix of connected discussions, immersive workshops, peer-to-peer networking, and TED-style presentations.
Tuesday, Feb. 28, sees the 15th edition of the Green Events & Innovations Conference (GEI) take place, bringing together “leaders and innovators in the global live sector to network and accelerate discussions around environmental and social best practice,” according to the announcement. The conference is organized by A Greener Festival, in partnership with ILMC.
Companies and partners supporting the 35th edition of ILMC include Live Nation, Ticketmaster, ASM Global, CTS Eventim, Tysers, DEAG Entertainment Group, Showsec and Universe.
This year’s edition of ILMC in April welcomed speakers including artists Nile Rogers and Brian Eno, Casey Wasserman (Wasserman), Phil Bowdery (Live Nation), Maria May (CAA), Marie Lindqvist (ASM Global), Lucy Dickins (WME) and John Giddings (Solo Agency).
Full information about the conference, which runs under the Theme Spa & Last Resort, is at 35.ilmc.com.