One panel at The Abyss, where indicated, the rest at 2Lång.

11.00 - Doors
Please come early for check-in, a free croissant and some coffee. And there's more to go with that, coffee is just a perk. 

11.15 - Program start:
THE (NOT-SO) SUPER IMPORTANT VIVA INTRO
Some words from on this year's program.

11.30 - Panel:
STUBBORN, DETERMINED AND INTO IT!
“Eldsjälar” (fire-souls in Swedish) are essential in small and mid-size cities. They create spaces for people, music, and expression, and often risking their own money. These shows and venues become vital stops for touring bands and help shape a vibrant local scene that can even influence on a national level. Without their passion and near-crazy dedication, many artists wouldn’t have a platform to start from. So, how do these independent voices and venues get by and how do they cope when the industry becomes more corporate, the economy toughens, and financial support is rare?

Lars Wallin, Uddevallakassetten, Uddevalla, SE
Amira Gluhic, Headquarters, Århus, DK
Peter Dijkstra, Vera, Groningen, NL
Chair: Alexi Front, Scorched Tundra, Chicago, US

12.00 - Panel @ The Abyss:
THIS IS WHERE I'M FROM
Everyone’s heard the stories about footballers who never came inside to eat and drummers who banged on pots and pans as kids – but what about the journeys of people working behind the scenes in music? What was the first encounter that got them into it? Tape trading? Being a lousy bass player? The thrill of putting on a show? This panel will address the untold stories about how it started and why they decided to keep at it, ending up doing what they do today.

Linda Melsom, Indie Recordings, NO
Chris Jäger, Summer Breeze Open Air, DE
Bart van Haare, Echo Live, NL
Chair: Greg Kennelty, Metal Injection, US

12.30 - Presentation:
WHAT IS THE MUSIC CITIES NETWORK, AND HOW CAN YOU ENGAGE?
The Music Cities Network connects all music city stakeholders—policy makers, city marketing strategists, industry professionals, and artists. Let’s reveal how the global network bridges gaps between the 14 currently participating cities and show how you can engage in this international network.

Lena Ingwersen, MCN, Berlin, DE
Sabrina Dehati, MCN, Berlin, DE
* Presented by Music Cities Network

12.45 - Panel:
DOES IT TAKES AN IDIOT TO RUN A INDIE LABEL?
Indie labels are essential for what’s to come, offering creative freedom and building careers that major labels often overlook, far from the mainstream. They are the ones taking chances on sounds from the way out, who champion and amplify upcoming talent, bringing fresh fruit into your eardrum. However, in today’s music industry the dominance of streaming can mean trouble, especially so for new labels without any ticking catalogue. What’s the future like for the ones not guided by streaming numbers?

Magnus Bjerkert, Adrian Recordings, Stockholm, SE
Erik Jansen, Jansen Records, Oslo, NO
Elise Milani, Monstercat, Toronto, CA
Chair: Katja Vaukhonen, Backbone Management, Helsinki, FI

14.00 - Canada Session @ Pustervik
Panel: OPENING THE NORDIC DOOR
This panel will take a close look at the Scandinavian live market, focusing on Sweden, Norway, and Denmark—a region with a combined population of around 20 million people. Featuring insights from a booker, a venue operator, and an agent, the discussion will shed light on what’s unique up here and what opportunities there are within this market. Insights and practical tips on how to enter and navigate will come with it, like coke to a burger.

Sebastian Fors, Slaktkyrkan, Stockholm, SE
Rachel Lewis, Dirty Old Town, Kristiansand, NO
Søren Kristensen, KORMA, Aalborg, DK
Chair: Ellinor Andersson, bass player, Ljungskile, SE
* Note - @ Pustervik, closed session/per invite only

14.00 - Case study:
HOW TO RELEASE A NEW ALBUM WITH IDLES
Let Partisan Records takes you behind the scenes of the release journey for IDLES' latest album, TANGK. From the initial studio sessions to the final release, discover the creative process, strategic decisions, and marketing strategies that brought this highly anticipated album to life. This talk will offer a rare glimpse into the intricate work behind a major album launch and the teamwork required to make it a success.

Ellie Rumbold, Partisan Records, DE
Chair: John Kennedy, Radio X, UK

15.00 - Panel:
SYNC OR SWIM
Lots of bands and artists got streaming numbers on par with buying a quarterly pizza, and the money from shows is not always enough to pay rent. But - sync opportunities in film, TV, ads, and video games can offer both hard cash and visibility. Money that can fund your next album or tour, and exposure to get your name on people's radar. But how do you get someone to work on your songs? How do they pitch your music in a relevant way? How do you get on the inside of this? 

Saki Markovic, Playground Music, Stockholm, SE
Jessica Tolf Vulpius, Crunchy Frog, Copenhagen, DK
Adam Smith, North Note, London, UK
Chair: Alexi Front, Scorched Tundra, Chicago, US

16.00 - Panel:
THE SHAPE OF LIVE MUSIC TO COME
Costs for organising and promoting live music have soared recently, with pressures from rising fees, VAT, rent, travel, utilities, and creeping gentrification. These challenges strain even the most resilient promoters—the ultimate risk-takers. Within this complex market, Nordic Live Organizations unite to represent and empower music promoters through shared strategies. What’s next, and how do we face these obstacles together? Join us for an energising exchange on the future of Nordic live music, where ideas meet action and resilience.

Joppe Pihlgren - Sweden Live, SE
Jenna Lahtinen - LiveFin, FI
Jenny Ulleland - Norwegian Live, NO
Torben Lyngsø - Danish Live, DK
Chair: Gustav Nyqvist, VG Live, SE
* Presented by VG Live

17.00 - Reception @ Pustervik:
TICKSTER RECEPTION
Our ticketing partner Tickster is wrapping up the conference program with a Thursday get-together, right before a big night out. It’s invite-only, so if you wanna hang out with some great folks, then >>> SHOW YOUR INTEREST HERE <<<

Three session rooms:
Two at Pustervik (Klubben + Upstairs) and one at GFC, just a minute away from Pustervik. MAP HERE.
Canadian reception @ 2Lång. 

10.30 - Doors @ Pustervik
Grab that free coffee, as you enter getting ready for day two.

11.00 - Upstairs, panel:
LAY OF THE LAND
This year's "Lay of the Land" panel will explore both the now and the future through the lens from three different perspectives - label, distributor and festival. Have things stabilised over the last few years? Are things getting worse, or better, or both? What’s the new things to consider? NFT’s still hot? Is TikTok over? Is streaming a rigged game? What about dynamic prices on tickets? This discussion might even fiddle with the tensions between corporate power and independent vision, so expect views and opinions regarding dsp's, major labels and the ever evolving festival market.

Torny Gottberg, Danmark Music Group, Gothenburg, SE
Rikke Andersen, Spot Festival, Århus, DK
Philipp Schulte, Century Media, Berlin, DE
Chair; Katja Vauhkonen, Backbone Management, Helsinki, FI

11.30 - Klubben, talk:
DEAD FESTIVALS
Step into the story, the rise and fall of two of Sweden's most iconic festivals: Peace & Love in Borlänge and Arvikafestivalen in Arvika. Once hosting legendary acts like Bob Dylan, Rihanna, Depeche Mode and Nine Inch Nails, they were giants in the music scene. In this talk, we’ll explore the crucial decisions, the financial missteps, and the changing cultural landscapes that led to their downfall - and what could have been done to save them. Insights from the inside and a look at how festivals now can avoid a similar fate.

Eric Lindholm, MarketHype, formerly of Arvikafestivalen
Patric Hammar, Borlänge municipality, formerly of Peace and Love Festival
Chair: Eddie Wheeler, Eddie Wheeler, Gothenburg, SE
* Presented by VG Live

12.00 - Workshop @ GFC - Limited space  >>> SIGN-UP HERE <<<
REAL FAN ENGAGEMENT
Join an engaging workshop led by Elise Milani, Head of Music Marketing at Monstercat. This session is perfect for artists, managers, and music professionals aiming to develop some real fan engagement and build meaningful connections with their audience. Elise, who has extensive experience managing campaigns for over 300 releases annually and working with global artists like Alan Walker, REZZ, and Virtual Riot, will share her insights and strategies to elevate your approach to audience connection and growth.

Elise Milani, Monstercat, Toronto, CA
*Note @ GFC, across the street from Pustervik, limited space, sign-up needed

12.15 - Klubben, history class:
THE HISTORY OF GOTHENBURG
(*note: in Swedish)
400 years of Gothenburgian history in 15 minutes. Doable?
Kristian Wedel, Göteborgs-Posten, Göteborg, SE

12.30 - Upstairs, panel:
INDIE US: HOW TO NAVIGATE THE LIVE MARKET
The U.S. live market is one of the world’s most competitive, with serious challenges and unique opportunities. Independent players must innovate, build strong local networks, and constantly present captivating programs to stay afloat - what’s it like to navigate this? And are things just a breeze for the bigger and more established ones?
For European artists wanting in on this massive market, strategic partnerships and the understanding of regional audiences is essential. How possible is it to get there? And what’s a good starting point to attract venues, promoters and festivals to start building an audience?

Berkli Johnson, SXSW, Austin, US
Lio Kanine, New Colossus Festival, New York City, US
Nate Dorough, Pyramid Scheme / School Night, Michigan, US
Chair: Sam Sumpter, Bands do BK, New York City, US

13.30 - Klubben, interview:
HOW TO NOT RUN A RECORD LABEL
This year’s keynote interview welcomes the legendary Simon Williams. Simon will share his journey from writing for NME during its heyday to founding, and still running, the influential Fierce Panda label. Hear about the highs and the lows, the career-defining successes, the challenges of running a label mixed with personal insights from his book, Pandamonium! How to Not Run a Record Label. The book openly covers his experiences in the music industry, not shying away from his own struggle with mental health. Do not miss this sit down with one of the industry's most impactful figures, who still goes to more shows in a month than most people do in a year.

Simon Williams, Fierce Panda, London, UK
Chair, John Kennedy, Radio X, London, UK

14.00 - Workshop @ GFC - Limited space  >>> SIGN-UP HERE <<<
YOUTUBE MASTERCLASS - CRACK THE CODE
This masterclass on YouTube will cover strategies for overcoming the challenges of growing a music channel. Learn how to navigate the platform to reach monetization, optimize your channel’s positioning, and make the right choice between an artist or label channel. With practical tips on presenting and promoting your content effectively, this session is ideal for music artists and labels aiming to broaden their reach and build a sustainable presence on YouTube.

Armin Ogasa, Danmark Music Group, Hamburg, DE
*Note @ GFC, across the street from Pustervik, limited space, sign-up needed

14.00 - Upstairs, presentation:
TAKE THE POWER BACK WITH ANEKDOTE
Anekdote offers a no-code platform to build your own iOS and Android app for communities. Own your data, engage followers, share unique content, send push notifications, and sell directly to maximize revenue. Take control of your content!

Per Vikström, Anekdote
* Presented by Anekdote

14.15 - Upstairs, panel:
HOW IS MY LIVE MARKET DOING?
The live market is undeniably tricky for indie promoters, venues, and agents, as most of us know: rising costs, inflation, post-COVID behavioural shifts vs tickets, not to mention competing with bigger players about the gig-money of the public. But - the thrill of booking the perfect show, the joy of pulling off a show against all odds, and the magic of sharing unforgettable moments with friends keeps being fuel for the independent operators. How do they keep that spark alive, stay adaptable and find new ways to get their audience's attention while keeping the scene thriving despite the gloom and doom?

Carlo Emme, Plan B, Malmö, SE
Vibeke Hay Wold, Polar Artists, Trondheim, NO
Jonas Goncalves, Ya Ya Yeah Booking, Nazaré, PT
Chair: José Carlos Santos, The Devil's Mouth, Lisbon, PT

15.15 - Upstairs, panel:
WHAT’S THE STORY?
Independent PR agents work tirelessly to craft compelling stories for new bands, balancing the need to charge artists and/or labels while delivering tangible results in an ever-shrinking media landscape. With fewer music magazines, blogs and radio stations giving space to smaller acts, the struggle to get meaningful coverage is greater than ever, while the need for bands to get exposure is more necessary than ever. This panel will focus on the creative ways indie PR agents needs to use to keep their artists in the spotlight and explore how PR strategies differ across genres and markets.

Isak Asgeirsson, Kniven PR, Göteborg, SE
Jessica Otten, Hold Tight PR / Future Cult PR, NL
Ina Neumayr, Popup Records, Hamburg, DE
Chair; Ellinor Andersson, bass player, Ljungskile, SE

16.15 - Upstairs, panel:
WE WANNA GET LOADED!
Independent festivals are essential for new music discovery, booking bands/artists a bit out there and bringing communities together in a way big, commercial festivals can't. They create unique, intimate experiences, offer a platform for emerging talent, and throw unforgettable parties. From the inside, it’s about witnessing an audience thrilled by a band they’d never heard before, seeing your team proud from what you’ve pulled off together and knowing bands will benefit from new opportunities. Yet, with slim margins and financial risks, can festivals grow and stay true to their roots amidst hot bands, cold sponsorships, tricky agents, and unpredictable audiences?

Sebastian Vera, Mallorca Live, Palma, ES
Minke Weeda, Left of the dial, Rotterdam, NL
David Lohdi, Nürnberg Pop Festival, Nürnberg, DE
Chair; Sam Sumpter, Bands do BK, New York City, US

18.00 - Reception @ 2Lång
MEET THE CANADIANS!
You are invited to meet up with the Canadian artists and industry attending this year's Viva Sounds. Join in for a bevy and some snacks before checking out some amazing Canadian acts. Limited space >>> RSVP HERE <<<