Music Commission News

GOING GLOBAL MUSIC SUMMIT 2026
Dates: Thursday 27 & Friday 28 August 2026
Venue: Q Theatre, Tamaki Makaurau/Auckland, Aotearoa, New Zealand
Tickets on sale now via Q Theatre (Early Bird pricing until 4 August 2026)

Independent Music New Zealand (IMNZ), in partnership with the New Zealand Music Commission, announces the second round of international speakers flying into Aotearoa for the Going Global™ Music Summit 2026 – led by Dev Sherlock, Director of SXSW Music, the world’s premier music showcasing event.

Sherlock, whose remit at SXSW covers artists and showcase presenters from the EU, UK, and Australia/New Zealand, will be in Tāmaki Makaurau to see Aotearoa’s 2026 showcasing artists perform on home soil. He is joined in this announcement by the programming brain behind the Southern Hemisphere’s biggest industry gathering, one of the US’s leading independent music attorneys, and booking and A&R firepower from the UK and Australia.

“With more speakers yet to be announced, we welcome this latest cohort into New Zealand, to engage and connect with our wonderful and vibrant music community. ”
DYLAN PELLETT, GENERAL MANAGER, IMNZ

GOING GLOBAL OPENS UP PATHWAYS

Previous showcasing artists have used Going Global as a launchpad for international opportunities. At the 2025 summit, Tāmaki Makaurau band Ringlets connected with representatives from The Great Escape before securing a performance opportunity at the UK festival.

Since launching in 2011, Going Global has welcomed over 260 international delegates from the music industries of Asia, Europe, and North America, and provided a platform for 238 showcasing artists, alongside lineups from several annual editions of The Other’s Way Festival Aotearoa to perform directly in front of decision-makers from major festivals, labels, agencies and media outlets.

International delegates consistently cite the showcase as an invaluable way to discover artists they may not otherwise encounter. Following her attendance at Going Global 2025, Hayley Percy, Head of Music at RISING (Australia), said:

“Very real and outcome-driven pathways were forged… I have a very long list of new acts I look forward to staying in touch with for future bookings.”
HAYLEY PERCY, HEAD OF MUSIC AT RISING (AUSTRALIA)

Going Global 2026 continues that commitment, connecting showcasing artists with Aotearoa’s wider independent music community; managers, labels, promoters, publishers and songwriters building careers in international markets.

2026 SPEAKERS – SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT

This second round of confirmed speakers represents some of the most respected voices in global showcasing, booking, artist representation, music law, and A&R:

David Melick Telfer
Owner/Managing Attorney, DMT Law Firm (USA)

David Melik Telfer is a 2008 UCLA Law graduate and the founder of DMT Law Firm. Based in Los Angeles, DMT Law is one of the premier music immigration boutiques in the US, filing hundreds of O-1B and O-2 petitions annually for artists, crew, management, and others. Collaborating closely with most of the major agencies and a diverse array of management companies from across the globe, DMT Law Firm brings a unique approach that is tailored to the needs and challenges specific to the music industry, streamlining the process and eliminating much of the client’s normal visa workload for quick and cost-effective immigration outcomes. David has also spearheaded over a dozen federal lawsuits against USCIS (US Immigration Services), serving not only the immediate interests of his clients and other law firms, but also contributing to the broader immigration discourse, prompting meaningful change, and generating advancements in immigration law.

Dev Sherlock
Director, SXSW Music (USA)
Dev Sherlock is the Director of SXSW Music Festival. As part of his role, he is responsible for artists and showcase presenters from the EU, UK, and Australia/New Zealand. Recognised as the world’s premier music showcasing event, SXSW brings together the global music community, alongside the film and tech industries, for a week of networking and live showcases in Austin, Texas, featuring more than 1,000 artists from 60+ countries. Dev’s background also includes music journalism, film supervision and broadcasting.

Jordan Acker
A&R, GYRO.Group (AUST)
Jordan is an A&R at GYRO.Group, one of Australia’s leading independent distributors, where he is passionate about bolstering the Australian music scene by championing rising local artists and supporting them through the digital streaming ecosystem with tailored A&R guidance and release strategies.

A Melbourne-based music industry professional with a background in artist development and independent music distribution, Jordan holds a Bachelor of Applied Business (Entertainment) from Collarts, Melbourne. He is also the founder of Ivy Music Group, a boutique artist management company focused on long-term development and sustainable career growth. He works across a diverse roster, including Holly Hebe, Squid the Kid, Sammi Heaney, and Lucy Sugerman, helping these artists and many more navigate the evolving music landscape with clarity, creativity, and strategy. Driven by an artist-first mindset, Jordan is committed to creating opportunities that connect talent with the right pathways, both locally and globally.

Lucy Atkinson
Booking Agent, ROAM Artists (UK)
Lucy Atkinson is a booking agent at ROAM, representing a broad roster of established and emerging artists across electronic, alternative and contemporary live music. She began her career as a touring vocalist before moving into artist representation, joining a boutique booking agency as an assistant and progressing through the business to become an agent in her own right. After nine years at Earth Agency, Lucy joined ROAM in January 2025 to establish and lead the agency’s electronic music division.

Her roster includes a range of internationally recognised artists such as Sega Bodega, Erika de Casier, Alice Glass, MØ, Saint Ludo, sim0ne, FDC DJs (Fontaines D.C.) and Ecco2k. Alongside her live music work, Lucy has developed partnerships between artists and leading fashion and lifestyle brands. Recent projects include Ecco2k’s campaign with Marc Jacobs Eyewear, Erika de Casier’s collaboration with Hermès, Pxssy Palace’s partnership with H&M, and a campaign bringing together sim0ne, ASOS and Mixmag.

Drawing on experience across both touring and artist representation, Lucy works closely with artists to build sustainable careers, develop international opportunities and connect them with partners that solidify cultural impact.

Niriko McLure
Co-Programmer, BIGSOUND / Third Person Management (AUST)

Niriko McLure loves bringing people together who care deeply about telling stories. Across artist management, cultural programming and music strategy, she helps music and art find their audiences. Niriko is the founder of Third Person Management, representing artists EGOISM and Haley Holgate, and co-curates the BIGSOUND conference.

Previously General Manager of Wonder Music Co., Niriko worked with artists including Matt Corby and 5 Seconds of Summer, leading global touring, release campaigns and commercial partnerships that contributed to #1 albums in Australia, the UK and the US. She also served as Associate Director of Event Investment at Destination NSW, bringing experience across both the commercial music industry and public investment in culture.

They join the previously announced international delegation: keynote speaker Tom Windish (Booking Agent / EVP of A&R and Business Development, THE·TEAM, USA), Steph Salas (Label Manager, Carpark Records & Carpark Publishing, USA), Andy Jones (Co-Founder & Head of Music, FOCUS Wales, Wales) and Kyle Kernohan (Festivals Booker, TBA Agency, USA) — with further speakers still to be announced.

EARLY BIRD TICKETS for Going Global 2026 are on sale now via Q Theatre, with earlybird pricing available until 4 August 2026. Tickets cover both conference days and entrance to the showcase nights.

Further speaker announcements, the full programme, and the 2026 Showcasing Artist selection will be released in the weeks ahead. Stay close. https://indies.co.nz/going-global/

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Going Global Music Summit is Aotearoa New Zealand’s premier international music industry event, presented annually by Independent Music New Zealand (IMNZ) in partnership with the New Zealand Music Commission. The summit connects leading international figures in A&R, booking, licensing, management, marketing, promotion, and publishing with New Zealand artists and industry.

Independent Music New Zealand (IMNZ) serves as the primary representative organisation for the independent music sector in Aotearoa, representing the interests of independent artists, labels, publishers, and music businesses. IMNZ advocates for a healthy, sustainable independent music ecosystem and delivers events, education, and initiatives that support the growth and global reach of New Zealand music.