First International Speakers Revealed for Indie-Con Australia & A2IM’s Indie Week Australian Edition 2026
The diverse range of speakers includes A2IM’s Ian Harrison, Create Music Group’s Darlene Hall and Mexican Summer’s Joanie Eaton.
Image supplied
After nominations for this year’s Australian Independent Record Labels Association (AIR) Awards opened at the start of the month, organisers have now revealed the first wave of international speakers to appear at this year’s Indie-Con Australia Conference and A2IM’s Indie Week Australian Edition, which takes place from Wednesday 29 to Friday 31 July 2026 at Mercury Cinema and Nexus Arts in Adelaide.
Not only have the first speakers been announced, but early-bird tickets are also on sale here.
Across three days, Adelaide becomes a global meeting point for independent labels, artists, managers, distributors, tech leaders and music advocates from across the world, with this year’s event celebrating the tenth anniversary of Indie-Con and the return of A2IM’s Indie Week Australian Edition.
The first international speaker announcement for 2026 highlights some of the biggest innovators and movers and shakers in the independent music sector, with many more speakers to be revealed in the coming months. Confirmed speakers include:
Lisa Hresko- A2IM, USA
Ian Harrison- A2IM, USA
Thaddeus Rudd - Mom+Pop, USA
Jason Peterson- GoDigital, USA
Darlene Hall- Create Music Group, USA
Natalie Young - Bright Antenna, USA
Eva Karman Reinhold - SOM, Sweden
Marty Ro- Sound Republica, KOR
Takuya Yamazaki - IMCJ, JPN
Nerea Serrano - Worldwide Independent Network, Spain
Aaron Winning - IMAT, Thailand
Joanie Eaton - Mexican Summer, UK
AIR Member early bird tickets are on sale now for just $259 (RRP $349). Members will receive a link to purchase their tickets at discounted prices. If you think you’re a member but haven’t received a link, find out if you qualify for AIR membership here.
Non-Members can also purchase early bird tickets for $369 (RRP $449) here.
SA-based artists and labels also receive a special discounted price. Contact membership@air.org.au for more information.
Early bird tickets close on 31st May 2026. Secure yours now to avoid disappointment.
READ MORE: ARIA Celebrates 40 Years of Australian Music Excellence in 2026
Along with AIR’s Indie-Con Australia Conference and A2IM’s Indie Week Australian Edition Conference, Thursday 30 July plays host to the 20th edition of the AIR Awards at Adelaide’s iconic Town Hall.
AIR members are invited to nominate eligible artist releases issued between 1 January 2025 and 31 December 2025, with nominations closing at 5:00pm AEDT on Friday 13 March.
This year sees the introduction of two new awards in the Dance/Electronic Award categories – Best Independent Dance/Club Single and Best Independent Electronic Single.
In line with these updates, the former Best Independent Dance or Electronica Album or EP category is now called Best Independent Electronic Album or EP.
These changes and new categories reflect Australia’s growing impact on the dance music scene, both locally and on the world stage.
AIR’s Indie-Con Australia Conference and A2IM’s Indie Week Australian Edition Conference will be held from 29 July to 31 July at the Mercury Cinema and Nexus Arts. Tickets are on sale here. Nomination for the 2026 AIR Awards are open now until 5:00pm AEDT Friday 13 March. This year’s event will be held at Adelaide Town Hall on Thursday 30 July. For more information, visit air.org.au.
