MSA Unveils Full Programming For 2026 Music Sustainability Summit 

Details are here for the third annual Music Sustainability Summit (MSS26), brought to you by the Music Sustainability Alliance (MSA). The full program and speaker lineup has been unveiled for the event taking place April 14 at Solotech Studios in Hollywood, California, featuring leaders from across the music business with a focus on addressing practical solutions for reducing the industry’s environmental impact.

The programming will feature a mix of keynote conversations, expert panels, lightning talks, and networking sessions with speakers including artists, promoters, venues, labels, touring professionals, sustainability experts, and technology leaders. 

An announcement from MSA notes that the summit will “explore actionable strategies across fan travel, live production, food systems, materials, logistics, measurement, and cultural influence.”

Kristen Fulmer, who serves as Global Head of Sustainability at GOAL and Oak View Group (Pollstar’s parent company) will take part in the panel “Taking Stock: The Road Ahead for Live.” The panel will provide an assessment of where the live music sector stands, looking at current initiatives, emerging solutions and the collective steps still needed to meaningfully reduce the environmental footprint of touring, festivals and concerts. Other speakers on the panel include Lindsay Arell, Chief Sustainability Officer, Legends Global; Lucy August-Perna, Senior Director, Global Sustainability, Live Nation; Erik Distler, SVP Sustainability, AEG; and Hanna Grahn, Head of Sustainability, Spotify.

“This year’s summit is focused on moving from ideas to implementation,” Amy Morrison, CEO and Co-Founder of the Music Sustainability Alliance, said in a statement. “We’ve designed the program to highlight practical solutions that organizations can adopt today while also exploring the innovations that will shape the future of sustainable music.”

The Music Sustainability Alliance is a nonprofit organization dedicated to embedding sustainability into the music industry’s DNA via its annual summit, working groups, educational programming, and resources.

Registration for MSS26 is now open, with prices increasing March 31. For more information and tickets visit www.musicsustainability.org/summit

READ MORE:
Music Is A Powerful Agent Of Change: Guest Post By MSA’s Amy Morrison

How MSA’s Music Sustainability Summit Put Green Touring Center Stage

Check out the schedule for the summit below. 

MSS26 Program Highlights

Opening Program
Welcome to MSS26
Speakers:
Madame Gandhi, Artist and Activist
Amy Morrison, CEO & Co-Founder, Music Sustainability Alliance

Lightning Talk: Deloitte CSO Survey – Key Takeaways for Sustainability Leaders
A brief set of insights drawn from Deloitte’s most recent Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) survey. Designed to provide an executive-friendly snapshot of themes and implications for music sustainability leaders.
Speaker: Dan Goldenberg, Chief Sustainability Officer-in-Residence, Deloitte

Lightning Talk: How to Think About AI and Sustainability
Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping every industry, including music: a framework for understanding AI’s environmental implications and the choices that could determine whether AI becomes a climate liability or opportunity.
Speaker: Trent Wolbe, Creative Director, Music Sustainability Alliance

Taking Stock: The Road Ahead for Live
An assessment of where the live music sector stands from four major players in live music. Includes: current initiatives, emerging solutions and the collective steps still needed to meaningfully reduce the environmental footprint of touring, festivals and concerts.
Speakers:
Lindsay Arell, Chief Sustainability Officer, Legends Global
Lucy August-Perna, Senior Director, Global Sustainability, Live Nation
Erik Distler, SVP Sustainability, AEG
Kristen Fulmer, Global Head of Sustainability, OVG & GOAL
Hanna Grahn, Head of Sustainability, Spotify

Morning Breakout Sessions

Zero Waste & Circularity: Cleaner Shows & Smarter Systems
A discussion on practical approaches to reducing all types of waste and improving circularity at live events. Panelists will share operational lessons, enabling practices, and ways to measure and track progress with clear accountability.
Speakers:
Travis Markowitz, Sustainability Leader for Technology, Media,Telecom, Deloitte
Mike Martin, Founder & CEO, r.World
Laura Rosenshine, Co-Founder and CEO, WATS (Waste Admin Software)
Carol Scott, Principal Sustainability & ESG, TAIT
Morganne Sigismonti, Music Sustainability Alliance

Fret Not: Guitars, Materials, and Nature
Instrument makers are grappling with regulatory requirements and their impacts on supply chain and manufacturing. Protecting forests while preserving the craftsmanship and sound musicians depend on is critical to success.
Speakers:
Fanny Calder, Executive Director, Murmur
Adam Gardner, Co-Founder, REVERB; Musician, Guster
John McElroy, General Counsel, CF Martin Guitars
Scott Paul, Director of Sustainability, Taylor Guitars

Music Sustainability 101
Sustainability touches every aspect of the music industry. A conversation on how to prioritize and address environmental challenges facing your organization — from touring emissions, F&B, and venue energy use to manufacturing and fan travel.
Speakers:
Emily Bines, Hope Solutions
Lara Seaver, Director of Touring & Projects, REVERB
Dylan Siegler, SVP, Head of Sustainability, Universal Music Group
Kristina “Red” Tanner, Partner-Head of Ticketing, Commerce and Sustainability, Activist Artists Management
Kurt Langer, Board Member, Music Sustainability Alliance

Measurement and Reporting: How and Why
An overview of tools and frameworks that help artists, venues, labels and promoters measure emissions, track progress and communicate environmental impact with credibility.
Speakers:
Kelly Brennan-Kleyn, Business Manager, KBK Management
Angie Gamber, Sr. Mngr, ESG Data & Reporting, Warner Music Group
Marawan Ibrahim, Planet First Initiatives Lead, Nimblist
Mike Wallace, Board Member, The Climate Trust
Danielle Azoulay, Founder, The CSO Shop

Afternoon Breakout

Fan Travel: Getting There Is Half the Fumes
Fan travel represents the largest share of emissions across live music. A focus on strategies for reducing the impact through transportation partnerships, ticketing incentives and communications that encourage fans to choose lower-carbon ways to attend shows.
Speakers:
Katie Bailey, Director of Sustainability, Intuit Dome
Aileen McManamon, Board Chair, Green Sports Alliance
Madeline Weir, Director of Impact, REVERB
Jennifer Fraser, Planet Reimagined

The Untapped Opportunity of Decarbonized Productions
Behind every show is a complex web of logistics — trucks, equipment transport and crew travel. This discussion explores emerging solutions for reducing emissions from production transport, including electrification, alternative fuels and smarter routing that can deliver ROI.
Speakers:
Jamal Chalabi, Tour & Production Manager-Massive Attack, Backlash Productions
Mickey Curbishley, President, Live Productions, Solotech
Stuart Ross, Partner, THE Conference Live at Lititz
Neel Vasavada, Founder/CEO, Overdrive Energy Solutions
Joel Makower, Chairman & Co-Founder, Trellis Group; Strategy Director, Music Sustainability Alliance

Getting to Zero: Looking Beyond Offsets
There are many ways to address unavoidable emissions. The priority: identifying high-integrity climate investments that deliver real environmental benefits and avoiding common pitfalls that can undermine impact!
Speakers:
Carly Holenick, CDO, Sound Future
Heather Schrock, Director of Environmental Partnerships, Bonneville Environmental Foundation
Anne Shudy Palmer, Director of Sustainability, Green Worldwide Shipping
Cathy Runciman, Co-Executive Director, Earth Percent

Small Venues, Big Solutions
Independent venues operate on tight margins but wield enormous cultural influence. Practical sustainability actions for smaller venues — from energy efficiency to waste reduction — and examples of how collaboration and shared resources can help scale impact.
Speakers:
Mary Conde, Senior Vice President, Another Planet Entertainment
Jake Hiersteiner, Sr. Director, Venue Development, AEG Presents
Cheryl Liguori, CEO, Z2 Entertainment
Shaun Hoyte, Columbia University

Mainstage Afternoon Program

Big-Stage Sustainability: Mega-Event Lessons for Music
A conversation on how infrastructure choices—temporary and permanent—can support more sustainable live, global music and entertainment events. Panelists will share transferable lessons and considerations that music organizations can apply across venues, tours, and large-scale gatherings.
Speakers:
David Beame, Vice President, Global Events & Experiences, Global Citizen
Jake Raykhelson, Senior Manager, Environmental Sustainability, The Walt Disney Company
Shay Eliaz, Sustainability Strategy Leader, Deloitte
Lightning Talk: Music Climate Pact and the Vinyl Alliance Sustainable Supplier Programme
Speaker: Ian Stanton, Head of Sustainability / Programme, Beggars Group/Murmur

Thought for Food: Putting Sustainability on the Menu
Food choices shape both the environmental footprint and the audience experience of events. We go in depth with Billie Eilish’s team to hear how they’ve transformed food service into a climate positive treat for the palate — including plant-forward menus, responsible sourcing and ways to reduce food waste.
Speakers:
Maggie Baird, Founder, Support+Feed
Lesley Olenik, SVP of Global Touring, Live Nation
Stefanie Lynch, Corporate Engagement Director, Greener By Default
Lara Seaver, Director of Touring & Projects, REVERB

Music’s Impact on Culture Is Its Climate Superpower
Reflections on how artists, storytelling and fan communities influence public imagination and help normalize climate awareness and action far beyond the industry itself.
Speakers:
Madame Gandhi, Artist
Rozzi, Artist
Jo Little, Founder, Earth Calling