Features
‘All Aboard’: ILMC 37 Announces Dates & Details
The International Live Music Conference (ILMC) has announced initial details for the 37th edition set to go down in London, England, Feb. 25-28, 2025.
The four-day conference will bring together a total of 2,500 live music professionals across the four days of activity, including some 1,500 ILMC delegates, made up of top international live music business executives, to meet at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London.
In a reference to this year’s theme, which revolves around seafaring, ILMC 37 will “explore ‘current’ affairs, plumb the depths of the business, and chart the new waves of headliners, as they navigate the ever-changing seas of the live music industry.”
ILMC’s platinum partners are Ticketmaster and, for the 20th year running, Live
Nation; gold partners are long-standing supporters CTS Eventim and ASM Global;
and silver partners are Tysers, BWO, AXS, Showsec, DEAG Entertainment Group,
and LMP Group.
ASM Global will again support ILMC’s Alia Dann Swift Bursary Scheme, which offers
a complimentary conference pass and mentoring opportunities to 30 young
professionals.
John Reid, President Live Nation EMEA, said: “Live Nation is pleased to be
sponsoring ILMC, an event that we have supported for 20 years now. The
conference has become a must attend in the diary of everyone working in the live
music sector and gives us all the opportunity to come together, take stock, and look
ahead to the coming year. We look forward to seeing you all there and to another
great ILMC.”
In addition to ILMC’s schedule of debates, workshops, keynotes and events, the
conference also sees the return of the second Touring Entertainment LIVE,
dedicated to the global business of big brand live entertainment, exhibitions
and touring family shows, on Wednesday 26 February.
Meanwhile, ILMC’s Central London showcase event, rebranded to Soho Calling, has been
revamped and expanded. It will take place in six music venues across Soho, Central
London, during the evening of Wednesday, Feb. 26.
On Thursday, Feb. 27, The Arthur Awards will be presented in front of 500 guests during a gala ceremony compered by CAA’s London co-head Emma Banks.
Futures Forum on Friday, Feb. 28, is dedicated to hundreds of up-and-coming future business leaders joining the main group of ILMC delegates for a one-day focus on issues of particular relevance to those earlier in their executive journey.
Kicking off the four-day conference is the Greener Events and Innovations
conference, run in partnership with A Greener Future, where industry leaders come
to discuss the most important sustainability issues impacting the live events industry.
Greg Parmley, head of ILMC, says: “This edition of ILMC looks to be a monumental
voyage, with a complete overhaul of our agenda designed to cement ILMC’s position
as the place where the international live music industry comes together to discuss
the issues that matter the most.”
“2025’s ILMC will feature a sea of networking events, but with new dedicated strands
on specific areas of the global business, including workshops, keynotes,
presentations and more. We’re excited to reveal more over the coming months.”
The 2024 edition of ILMC included speakers such as Tim Leiweke and Francesca
Bodie (OVG), Jay Marciano (AEG Presents), Peter Schwenkow (DEAG), Maria May
(CAA), Chris Bray (ASM Global), Emma Bownes (AEG), Phil Bowdery (Live Nation),
Marsha Vlasic (IAG), Alex Hardee (Wasserman Music) and Svana Gisla (ABBA
Voyage).