Welcome to Departure Festival & Conference and Radiodays North America - two platforms united by a shared belief in the power of music, media, and storytelling to shape culture. This week, we bring together artists, executives, broadcasters, creators, and innovators from across the global music and audio landscape - not just to reflect on where […]
Kick off Departure’s inaugural Creator Summit with a welcome that sets the tone for a new kind of conversation between creators, platforms, and audiences. Bringing together voices from across music, media, and digital culture, this opening moment will ground the day in a shared focus on community, connection, and creative opportunity. As Kaye Parker, Senior […]
At last fall’s CRTC hearing on Canadian Content – The Path Forward, broadcasters and music industry groups called for urgent updates to the regulatory framework. Issues included Cancon definitions and quotas, regulation of online streamers, declining local radio news, revenue pressures, funding for Canadian and Indigenous content, and ownership limits. This panel revisits these issues […]
You make a great podcast…. now you just need people to hear it. How do you engage the audience, spread the word and figure out if it’s resonating? Even if you don’t have a million bucks, there are still tips, tricks, tools and strategies you can use. We bring together some of the big names […]
Leading social creators, talent agents, and talent development executives come together to unpack how the creator economy has evolved into a fully functioning entertainment and business ecosystem. Today’s creators are building multi-platform companies, driving global cultural moments, and shaping how audiences discover and engage with content. From major brand partnerships and appearances in established film […]
As headlines from Washington increasingly intersect with decisions in Canada's music boardrooms and recording studios, understanding that connection has never mattered more for our industry. In this fireside chat, Mitch Glazier, Chairman and CEO of RIAA, joins Patrick Rogers, CEO of Music Canada, to unpack how U.S. trade priorities, digital rules and debates are reshaping […]
Hollywood Jade—fresh off his win on The Traitors Canada—joins forces with breakout pop artist Rêve for a candid fireside conversation on what it really takes to break through in today’s culture. Together, they’ll unpack the discipline, strategy, and creative risk behind building a modern pop career—where performance, choreography, and identity must cut across stages, screens, […]
In radio, every second counts. The moment something sounds off, listeners are gone and so is your profit. For decades, stations accepted something strange as normal: moments where the sound of the station and the music don’t quite align. In this session, PURE Jingles unveils a USA-first innovation in sonic branding that rethinks how stations […]
BBC Radio 6 Music is one of the UK’s most distinctive music brands - a home for listeners who value discovery, depth and genuine musical passion. Built on trust, taste and cultural credibility, it proves that curator-led music radio can still thrive at scale. In this session, Samantha Moy, Head of BBC Radio 6 Music, […]
Morning shows remain radio’s most important relationship… but what does a great one need in 2026? This session takes a clear-eyed look at how successful morning shows are built today: what audiences want more (and less) of, the demands on hosts and producers, and how ideas move from planning to on-air. It’s a practical snapshot […]
Amber Grimes has built her career at the intersection of music, strategy, and culture. From leading Artist & Label Partnerships at Spotify to serving as EVP & GM of LVRN (Love Renaissance) - the Atlanta based label behind artists including 6LACK, Summer Walker, DVSN, Sadboi and more, Amber now oversees one of the most influential […]
As independent music continues to expand globally, artists and labels are redefining what growth requires. The most resilient indie models focus on partnership rather than control, providing access to capital, technology, and infrastructure without sacrificing independence. This panel examines how these approaches are reshaping the indie landscape, challenging traditional power structures, and enabling long-term value […]
In a world where it seems that lies travel a hundred times faster than the truth, where can AI give us a creative assist? We hear about the fears and […]
What does the job of a radio host really look like today? This session brings together a panel of leading radio presenters from different formats and stages of their careers […]
In this age of all-caps opinions passing for political discourse, we’ll hear from the frontlines… hosts who are successfully making programs that privilege facts and build audiences, whether it’s on […]
