There are four categories which you can submit a proposal: showcase, club showcase, conference session and project pitch.

Classical:NEXT is open to everyone: artists, managers, presenters, orchestras, labels, educators, press, media, filmmakers, tech innovators, publishers and more.

To find out more about each category, and to apply for next year’s conference, head to the Classical:NEXT website. Submissions will close on Friday 9 October.

Registration remains open for the 14th edition in Katowice from 11–14 May 2027. The Smart Rate is now in effect and will remain available until Friday 22 January 2027. Registration is open to all music professionals, with special rates for media, students and young professionals. 

Taking place from 9 – 11 April, CUEW will consist of a day-long conference, two days of showcases, as well as speed meetings and networking events for artists and music industry professionals.

Artists can apply to showcase by visiting the CUEW website. Applications close Tuesday 6 October.

For over 15 years, Sounds Australia’s showcases at The Great Escape Festival have become renowned as the places to see the next generation of Australian artists, such as Amyl & The Sniffers, Budjerah, Confidence Man, Courtney Barnett, Cub Sport, DMA’S, Dune Rats, Ecca Vandal, Folk Bitch Trio, Gang Of Youths, Gordi, Gretta Ray, Julia Jacklin, Kita Alexander, Middle Kids, Miss Kaninna, Pacific Avenue, Radio Free Alice, South Summit, Sycco, Tasman Keith, Teen Jesus & The Jean Teasers, The Rubens and Tkay Maidza.

To apply, visit The Great Escape website. Applications will remain open until 15 February 2027.

The showcases will highlight artistic excellence in the Indigenous music community. IIMS facilitates the building of meaningful, mutually beneficial bridges and partnerships between artists, professionals, and key players in both Indigenous and mainstream music industries.

IIMS is the largest global event dedicated to celebrating, creating awareness, sharing resources, and building opportunities for the Indigenous music community.

Head to the IIMS website to apply to showcase. The deadline to submit is Friday September 18, 2026.

The showcases are 30- to 45-minute concerts presenting 38 selected bands and artists to both international jazz professionals and the general public.

Over three days and nights, audiences can experience current jazz from Germany, Europe, Overseas/Asia Pacific and the Baltic States on the stages of Hall 7 and Kulturzentrum Schlachthof.

To apply for a showcase, artists must first register as professional participants (all days) and be available for all showcase dates. The program runs across all three days and nights, so no other commitments should be scheduled. Artists and industry professionals attending should register under the Sounds Australia umbrella stand to receive an additional discount. Early Bird rates end 30 September 2026.

Once registered, application links will be available in your participant portal under the Submission section.

Applications for the jazzahead! 2027 showcases are open from 25 August to 30 September 2026. The selected bands and artists will be announced in November 2026.

The showcase acts are selected by international expert juries, with one jury for each showcase module. More information about the selection process and criteria can be found at the jazzahead! website.

Dance music has become one of Australia’s biggest cultural exports, with Australian music exports reaching $975 million in 2023–24 (Music Australia, Bass Line report). Organised by Australia’s music export office, Sounds Australia, the ADE hub creates opportunities to fast-track Australian artists’ success on the world stage.

Back for a third consecutive year, Australia House returns to Box Sociaal in the heart of the Jordaan, Amsterdam. Expanding from two days to three, it will run across Wednesday 21st, Thursday 22nd and Friday 23rd October, serving as the meeting hub for the Australian and global industry in town for ADE, bringing together influential players and trailblazers from around the world.

Each morning opens with curated networking events. From there, Australia House becomes a hub for the industry to hold meetings and connect throughout the day and into the evening, with complimentary Aussie barista coffee.

Meeting spaces can be booked here between 12:30pm and 9:30pm, Wednesday 21st to Friday 23rd October.

As the gateway for international industry to connect with artists and innovators, ADE will once again serve as a platform for Sounds Australia to support Australian talent on a global stage.

“Through Australia House, we’re creating direct pathways between Australia’s leading artists and businesses and international partners, building on the success of a sector that serves as one of Australia’s most influential cultural ambassadors on the world stage,” says Esti Zilber, Executive Producer and Head of Sounds Australia.

Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2026, the five-day gathering runs from the 21st to 25th October and is the world’s most extensive festival and conference program for electronic music, representing all electronic subgenres and subcultures across 1,000+ events in 200+ locations spread throughout Amsterdam.

Bangkok Music City will return from 30 – 31 January 2027 in Chareonkrung Area. BMC is spearheaded by Live Nation Tero, Fungjai, and NYLON Thailand, with the goal of establishing BMC as one of Southeast Asia’s premier showcase festivals.

The event will feature a line-up of 70+ artists, including some of Thailand’s top talents, alongside performances by exciting international artists, with around 100 industry professionals from across the region, and the world, in attendance.

To apply, head to this website. Applications close Thursday 13 August.

Indonesia is one of Southeast Asia’s most active digital music markets, with streaming accounting for over 90% of recorded music revenue and YouTube reaching more than 140 million users nationally. As Australian artists increasingly rely on international audiences for growth, Indonesia’s scale, appetite for global repertoire, and platform‑led discovery make it a key export market when approached with the right release and engagement strategy.

In this presentation, YouTube Music Lead for Indonesia, Mikael Aldo, will be joined by Director of Indonesian Label and publisher Suneater, Kukuh Rizal Arfianto to guide artists and industry through a multi-format release strategy designed to export Australian artists into Indonesia and deepen fan engagement.

Attendees will receive a comprehensive overview of the Indonesian industry and actionable, data-driven best practices for Australian artists looking to successfully break into the region.

These sessions are designed to equip independent artists and labels with the tools to build sustainable audiences, bridge cultural gaps, and leverage YouTube’s ecosystem for long-term growth. The presentation will conclude with a Q&A segment.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA
WHEN: Thursday 30 July, 4:15pm – 5:00pm
WHERE: AIR Indie-Con, Adelaide (for Indie-Con ticket holders only)

NEW SOUTH WALES
WHEN: Monday 3 August, 10:00am – 11:45am
WHERE: APRA AMCOS HQ, 16 Mountain St, Ultimo

VICTORIA
WHEN: Wednesday 5 August, 9:30am – 11:00am
WHERE: CY Venue, Collingwood Yards, 35 Johnston St, Collingwood

Registration is essential to attend the sessions in Sydney and Melbourne.

The YouTube Music and Sounds Australia Indonesia Workshop is supported by the ASEAN-Australia Centre.

Please join this critical information session hosted by Sounds Australia & Creative Australia with guest Matthew Covey (attorney and executive director of Tamizdat), to help us get a clearer picture of what to expect from the US artist visa process. 

Date:
Wednesday 22 July, 2026

Time:
9:30am Western Australia
11:00am Northern Territory, South Australia
11:30am Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania

Location:
Online, a link to attend the session will be sent to the email used to register 48 hours prior to the event.

Registration is essential via this link.

SXSW is 850+ total conference sessions, 600+ mentor and networking events, 4,400 musicians performing over 300 live showcases, 375+ film and tv show screenings, four nights of comedy, and 450 brands activating across 7 days.

Australian artists who have previously showcased at SXSW include Alison Wonderland, Amyl & The Sniffers, Angie McMahon, Courtney Barnett, DMA’S, Flight Facilities, Flume, G Flip, Gang of Youths, Hatchie, Hiatus Kaiyote, Julia Jacklin, Karnivool, Kucka, Mallrat, Matt Corby, Methyl Ethel, Middle Kids, RUFUS DU SOL, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, RVG, Stella Donnelly, The Teskey Brothers, Tkay Maidza, Troye Sivan, Vacations and Vance Joy.

Apply to showcase at the SXSW website. The deadline to apply is Friday 20 November 2026.