AVA London Announces Conference & Club Programme Additions

AVA London returns from 24–26 September 2026, bringing together artists, industry leaders, innovators and cultural figures for three days and nights of keynotes, industry forums, live conversations, workshops, masterclasses, performances and networking.

The latest additions span music, media, nightlife, technology and contemporary culture, with FLOHIO, Footsie, Jamz Supernova, Shy One, Tim & Barry, ELKKA among those joining an already expansive programme featuring Moby, Oklou, The Avalanches, teamLab, No Tags podcast and many more.

Black is a Spectrum: Discussing The Music Is Black Festival, presented by East Bank, brings together Footsie, Jamz Supernova, FLOHIO and Shy One, hosted by Gillian Jackson. The panel will explore the breadth of Black musical culture, from queer artists and sound system culture to women shaping the industry, emerging talent and musical lineage, asking how the industry can move beyond narrow definitions of Black music and create space for the full spectrum of talent, identity and creativity shaping the culture.

Join Chal Ravens and Tom Lea for a special live edition of the No Tags podcast, in conversation with Tim & Barry as they celebrate 25 years of their creative partnership. From their early work documenting London’s underground scenes to shaping the visual language of UK music culture, Tim & Barry have spent 25 years working across photography, film and music, including the pioneering livestream Just Jam and the feature-length footwork documentary I’m Tryna Tell Ya. The conversation will explore their creative journey and the changing relationship between musicians and visual culture.

UK Drum & Bass mainstays Fabio & Grooverider will join the programme for a special keynote interview, discussing over 30 years of the genre and pushing things forward in 2026. Elsewhere, The Game Changers keynote panel returns to bring together Mary Bekhait, CEO of YMU; Anya Du Sauzay, Marketing Director & Head of Label Operations at Atlantic Records UK; Sam Spencer of Broadwick Live / London Nightlife Taskforce alongside more to be announced.

Queer Nightlife Beyond Crisis: Who Builds the Future?, presented by Time Out x Gay Times, will feature Nadine Noor of Pxssy Palace & the London Nightlife Task Force, Jack Scollard of SMUT Press and multi-faceted producer, DJ and label boss ELKKA, moderated by Robson Carter-Browne of Time Out and Solomon Thomson, Managing Director of Gay Times.

The latest programme additions build on AVA London’s existing focus on the intersection of music, contemporary art, technology and the wider creative industries, with sessions exploring everything from the future of nightlife and music media to cultural identity, the artist economy and the technologies shaping how culture is created and experienced.

AVA London’s industry programme continues to explore the forces shaping the future of music and nightlife. What’s Next For International Nightlife? Presented by AVA and ChariTea mate, this panel will explore the future of nightlife and culture, bringing together leading experts from the UK and internationally, hosted by journalist and author Ed Gillett.

AFEM returns to present Building The Next Generation of Promoters: From Surviving to Best Practice, alongside MusicFutures: The Future of Music Licensing in a Gaming World and its popular Meet The Experts sessions.

The conference will also feature a PRS for Music session, De-mystifying Music Publishing, alongside AVA Forum sessions bringing together artists, managers, festivals, venues, distributors and digital streaming platforms for focused discussion around the future of the music industry.

These speakers will also join those already announced for AVA London 2026. Moby will join virtually for a special EarthPercent keynote exploring music’s role in driving climate action, while French singer, producer and popstar Oklou will appear in person for a live Resident Advisor Exchange. The Avalanches will join for a fireside chat around their upcoming fourth album, as well as an opening keynote presented by DJ Mag. Due to unforeseen circumstances, Richie Hawtin is no longer able to attend AVA in London.

Internationally renowned art collective teamLab will bring its pioneering approach to immersive art and technology to AVA London through an interactive masterclass with Takashi Kudo, exploring the intersection of art, science, technology and nature. Ableton will host Sounding The Archive, a collaborative workshop featuring patten and ANNA DISCLAIM that explores the intersection of sampling and archival restoration. The session, alongside a two-day foley and A/V soundtracking installation by patten, utilizes The Bishop Collection—a historical archive of British theatrical soundscapes from the mid-20th century—curated in partnership with AVA and the British Library Sound Archive.

There will be more names added in the coming weeks along with the full programme schedule. 

Alongside the daytime programme, AVA London will now feature an expanded night programme celebrating key figures in electronic music and the artists who have shaped the AVA story over the years. Bringing together established names associated with AVA Belfast and London, including Optimo, Skin on Skin and Swoose, alongside a new generation of artists who represent the spirit and talent of AVA today, the programme extends the festival beyond the daytime and into some of London’s most vital venues.

Friday — AVA London x RA25, Outernet Live AVA London joins forces with Resident Advisor for a special RA25 celebration featuring Blawan Live, Mala, Bitter Babe Live AV feat. Koch.a and AliA.

Friday — AVA London x FOLD AVA takes over London institution FOLD for a special London edition featuring Optimo, Special Guest, Swoose, Holly Lester, Body Clinic and JWY.

Saturday — AVA London x Stay On Sight, EartH, Hackney AVA London teams up with Skin On Skin for a Stay On Sight takeover at EartH Hall in Dalston for a night featuring Skin On Skin, Evian Christ, Croatian Amor and mi-el.

VA joins forces with revered storytelling platform SeanchoÍche for a special evening of storytelling at the Round Chapel in Clapton on Thursday 24th September. An intimate night bringing people together to share stories, memories and tales around the theme of “Time”, creating a unique space for conversation, connection and the celebration of personal stories.

For 2026, AVA will place renewed emphasis on the business of music and meaningful industry exchange, with the return of the AVA Forum — a series of curated, invite-only and application-based sessions designed to bring together artists, managers, festivals, music venues, distributors and digital streaming platforms for focused discussion on the future of the music industry. Access to the Forum is available to Pro Pass users via invite-only. 

The conference will welcome a broad group of industry leaders across labels, platforms, agencies and cultural organisations, including representatives from Bandcamp, Ableton, Resident Advisor, Association for Electronic Music, PRS for Music, British Council, Atlantic Records UK, Polydor Records, b, ChariTea mate and He.She.They.

AVA’s wider programme continues to champion emerging talent, independent nightlife and new forms of creative collaboration, with networking, education and skill-building remaining core priorities for 2026.