The AMW 2026 programme spans a wide range of themes, from music technology and the evolving music ecosystem to electronic music and education, creating a unified space for dialogue and exchange. Speakers such as Gérôme Vanherf, Co-Founder and CEO of ikii.studio, Anna Zo, President of Music Tech Europe, and Oliver Czeslik, the award-winning creator, writer and producer of XR experiences, will introduce fresh perspectives on creativity, technology and the role of AI in music and the creative industries. At the same time, Robert Meijerink, Head of Booking at Eurosonic Noorderslag, Ruth Koleva (SoAlive Music Conference), and Dino Lupelli (Federation of Music Conferences) share insights from leading European showcase festivals. Niko Michault (PUSH Management) and Christian Cleret (Dionysiac Tours), both with extensive experience in international artist development and festival strategy, open the discussion around the relationship between creativity, the market and global networking.

AMW 2026 also explores the music ecosystem at a national level, bringing forward key figures from the Greek industry such as Panagiotis Loulourgas (Panik Records), Manos Dedevessis (Stay Independent) and Andreas Mitrelis (Veego Records), who discuss developments in the recording industry, independent production and emerging market dynamics. Artists themselves take centre stage, with insights from Jack Savoretti, Tamta, Pan Pan and Vassilina, sharing their experiences and practices around contemporary artistic creation, authenticity, resilience and their journeys across local and international scenes.

Producers and creators such as Beyond, BeTaf, Baghdad, Gus and Papatanice, alongside emerging artists of the new generation including GXHAN and TSO, highlight current trends within the Greek scene and the diverse pathways of artistic development. This year also features listening sessions connected to Building Balkan Bridges, the first international songwriting camp organised in Greece, alongside workshops covering topics such as music production, video creation and fanbase development. Spotify participates with a dedicated masterclass on promoting music beyond borders, connecting creators from across the region and strengthening links between local scenes.

Experience the festival

As the conference programme concludes each day, Athens Music Week moves into the city’s nightlife, presenting 30 showcase events, concerts and DJ sets across selected venues.The live programme features artists from Greece and abroad, including Melina (GR/FR) with her cinematic pop approach, The Dionysians with their Greek-language garage rock sound, Lefty from the contemporary urban scene, as well as IOTA with their nu jazz influences and Rosadenia with a modern alternative pop aesthetic. International acts such as Lucy Dreams (AT), integrating AI into their artistic practice, Foehn (FR) with their atmospheric and cinematic sound, and 505 (IT/DE), present different expressions of contemporary electronic and hybrid music on stage. The lineup is further complemented by Greek artists representing diverse facets of the local scene.

The programme also includes special events such as the collaboration with Yannis Veslemes, who revisits the iconic film “The Lazy Ones of the Fertile Valley” by Nikos Panagiotopoulos, composing a new alternative soundtrack live on stage. Also presented is the collaboration with KIKI Music Group, featuring a dynamic label showcase at the new Klakaz venue with Tamta and label artists VASSIŁINA, Tso, Lou and V4L, representing the contemporary Greek pop and alternative scene. On Friday, a collaboration with the Reflected team presents a night dedicated to experimentation, improvisation and the live energy of electronic music at Plex, featuring artists such as Autow Nite Superstore, Fragk and Degear0001. The event stands out as a curated experience exploring current trends in club culture and showcasing the evolving dynamics of electronic music.

Athens Music Week 2026 is supported by SONIC Interreg Europe and the Music Tech Europe Academy, co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union, as well as the Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center (EKKOMEΔ), and is organised in collaboration with the Goethe-Institut Athens.

More information about the programme:www.athensmusicweek.gr
Tickets are available now, and provides access to all conference activities, showcase concerts and networking events.
Tickets are available exclusively via Cometogether.

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Bringing together voices from across music, culture, creative industries and technology, the event creates a space for exchange around some of the questions that continue to shape our ecosystem:

How can music and culture contribute to more resilient societies, supporting artists, professionals and the creative economy?
And how can they act as drivers for cities and regions, through stronger collaboration between public institutions, industry stakeholders and the creative community?

The gathering also marks the beginning of this year’s collaboration with the Goethe-Institut Athen, bringing the Greek and German creative scenes closer and opening the dialogue around diversity, cultural production and European cooperation.

At its core, the event invites participants to explore how music can act as a bridge across sectors, connecting different efforts and contributing to more connected and resilient communities and societies.

The conversation will feature contributions from:
– Marc-André Schmachtel, Head of Cultural Department, Goethe-Institut Athens & Region Europe I
– Anouk Rigeade, Cultural Attachée, Institut Français de Grèce
– Manos Dedevessis, Co-founder, Stay Independent
– Alexandros Nousias, Legal Consultant & Research Associate, NCSR-D / Digital Law & Ethics

The event will take place at the Goethe-Institut Athens on March 30, from 18:00 to 21:00, with the discussion scheduled from 18:15 to 19:15.
The evening will then continue with an informal networking session and music, offering space for further exchange until 21:00.

The event is free of charge, with registration required due to limited capacity.
Register here: [link]

The post Connecting the Dots: Music, Culture and Collaboration Across Sectors appeared first on Athens Music Week.

Over four days, AMW brings together conferences, workshops, networking events and showcase concerts, creating a dynamic environment where ideas meet practice and new collaborations take shape. With more than 180 guest speakers invited and 30 artists from Greece and abroad, the event continues to evolve as a platform where music, culture and innovation intersect.

This year’s edition focuses on the transformation of music ecosystems across Europe and beyond, exploring how creativity, technology and community are reshaping the way music is created, shared and experienced. From digital transformation and new creative tools to evolving models of artist development, education and live performance, AMW highlights music not only as an art form, but as a driver of innovation, collaboration and growth.

The conference programme is developed in collaboration with key European networks such as the Federation of Music Conferences (FoMC) and the Music Tech Europe Association, alongside initiatives like SONIC Interreg Europe. With the support of the Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center Creative Greece (EKKOMED), and in partnership with organisations including AI Pharos and the Hellenic Copyright Organization (OPI), AMW opens a dialogue around the future of the sector at national, regional and European level.

A key highlight of this year’s edition is the collaboration with the Goethe-Institut Athens, strengthening the connection between the Greek and German creative scenes and reinforcing the international outlook of the event. The Goethe-Institut will host the core conference programme, while parallel events and live showcases will take place across selected venues in the city

At its core, AMW remains about music and the people behind it. It is a space where artists, professionals, policymakers, entrepreneurs and audiences meet on equal ground, discovering new sounds, exchanging ideas and building meaningful connections. This shared experience continues to shape AMW as a living and evolving community.

The first wave of artists includes Melina (GR/FR), blending cinematic pop with Mediterranean influences, The Dionysians with their Greek language garage rock sound, and Lefty, one of the emerging voices of Greece’s contemporary urban scene. International acts include 505 (IT/DE), a Berlin based duo moving between electronica, jazz and trip hop, Lucy Dreams (AT), combining dreampop and synth driven electronica, and Foehn (FR) with a contemporary approach to electronic jazz.

On the conference side, confirmed speakers include internationally acclaimed singer songwriter Jack Savoretti (UK), Pan Pan, a multidisciplinary creator working across comics, illustration and music, Autow Nite Superstore, electronic music producer and DJ, Oliver Czeslik (DE), a screenwriter and producer working at the intersection of cinema and immersive storytelling through XR and VR experiences, and Christian Cleret (FR), a leading figure in festival development and international artist mobility.

More artists, speakers and programme highlights will be announced in the coming weeks, with updates published daily on the official Athens Music Week website. The full programme will be released in early April.

Tickets

Early bird tickets are now available. The AMW Full Pass provides access to all conference activities, showcase concerts and networking events. Tickets are available exclusively via cometogether.com

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Stay tune for more. Next SONIC meeting in Tampere!

More about SONIC

The post From Hamburg to Athens: connecting music ecosystems, cities and Innovation appeared first on Athens Music Week.

Held at Orfium’s offices, the gathering brought together young entrepreneurs, startups, artists, producers, and innovators from the local and international scene.
The goal was simple but meaningful: exchange ideas, connect peers, and explore how music and technology can grow together, from Greece to the wider South-East European region.

Among the participants were Chris Hocking, Konstantinos Karavezis (Stay Independent), Sakis Triantafyllakis (Orfium), Dimitris Komninos (MOOD), Georges Perot, and Anastasia Kotsa (Panathēnea), who shared insights on how creative talent, media-tech, and entrepreneurship can come together to shape new opportunities.

The discussion also introduced the 2025–2026 roadmap that connects Music Tech Europe, the next Music Tech Europe Academy cohort joining Athens during Athens Music Week 2026, and the first pilot actions leading to the launch of AGORA, Greece’s forthcoming creative innovation hub for music and related CCI sectors.

The evening underlined what many already sense, “the talent and ideas are here”. What’s needed now is to sustain collaboration, build infrastructure, and ensure that Greece and South-East Europe stand at the centre of this change.

The Music Tech Europe Academy Open Call 2025 is now open, inviting Greek and regional startups to apply and join Europe’s network of mentors, investors, and peers in the music and creative industries.

And the conversation continues: on October 7, Athens will host the SONIC Kick-Off Meeting at Innovathens / Technopolis City of Athens, bringing together institutional and private stakeholders to explore how international cooperation and local policy can help accelerate this shared vision for music innovation.

📸 Impressions from the evening below.






Orfium, Panathēnea, Technopolis City Of Athens, Athens Music Week, Music Tech Europe Academy, Music Tech Europe Technoport SA, Music Innovation Hub, Music Tech Hub (MTH), Media Deals

The post Music Tech Europe Meet-Up: Athens Sets the Tone for Music Innovation appeared first on Athens Music Week.

From October 14 to 17, the journey continues in Sofia for the So Alive Music Conference (SAMC) — one of the dynamic professional gatherings for the music industry in the Balkans.

The conference brings together artists, managers, promoters, and entrepreneurs from across the Balkans and beyond, following the same regional approach as Mastering the Music Business (MMB) in Bucharest. Both events strengthen the links between Southeast and Central European markets, supporting the exchange of experience, mobility, and professional cooperation.

Following the Athens Music Week 2025 initiative and MESO’s recent participation in Mastering the Music Business, this step continues the effort to build stronger ties between Greece, Romania, and Bulgaria — two countries that have just entered the Schengen zone, opening new opportunities for touring and creative mobility in the region.

This year, a Greek and Cypriot delegation will join SAMC, participating in discussions, showcases, and networking sessions designed to connect creativity and entrepreneurship.
The delegation includes professionals Andreas Trachonitis, Georges Perot, Lia Mansola, and Lefteris Moumtzis, together with artists Labaf, Elena Leoni, and Alexa Michael.

We will take part in panels, B2B sessions, and the CEE Mixer (October 15 | 14:00 | Kino Kabana), a regional networking format designed to foster direct collaboration between professionals from Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe.

To facilitate participation and strengthen regional exchange, Greek professionals are offered a 50% discount on SAMC passes. This initiative aims to encourage more artists and entrepreneurs from Greece and Cyprus to join the conversation and expand their networks.

We look forward to developing stronger bridges between the Bulgarian and Greek music ecosystems, continuing the dialogue started through Athens Music Week, Mastering the Music Business, and our shared commitment to regional cooperation and creative innovation.

The post Connecting Southeast Europe: From Dialogue to Action at So Alive Music Conference appeared first on Athens Music Week.

A little later, the audience’s attention shifted to an engaging presentation titled “K-dramas and OSTs: Discover the Magical World of K-dramas Through Their Music!” where Eftychia Dovletoglou guided the crowd through the captivating universe of Korean dramas via the sounds that defined them. As part of AMW’s special tribute to the Korean music industry phenomenon, a large crowd gathered on the second floor of the Olympias venue, where performer Alexios Marios Loukas led an enjoyable K-pop dance lesson, which concluded with a fun video featuring the choreography learned by the participants.

The final showcase concerts of the Festival lit up the stages of Oddity Club, Rektifie, and Eliart with a rich blend of sounds — from darkwave and alternative rock to pop and traditional music — offering the audience a night full of contrasts, emotional intensity, and unexpected surprises. The curtain fell on this wonderful four-day music celebration with the team bidding farewell to attendees and renewing their date for next year, all to the sound of electronic beats during a high-energy closing techno party at Oddity Club that lasted into the early morning hours.

The post The Final Day Highlights! appeared first on Athens Music Week.

Later, at the Olympias venue, the now-established since 2022 AMW discussion titled “Great Listening” took place, featuring outstanding speakers and moderated by Panagiotis Menegos. The session offered the audience a meaningful conversation about how decisions are made regarding what gets played on the radio or at festivals.

The concert lineup for the day had it all: authentic rock vibes from unique bands at Aux Club, experimental electronic music at Rektifie, and an eclectic programme at Eliart, highlighted by a standout performance from Moonlight Benjamin!

The post AMW Day 2 I Talks & Tunes appeared first on Athens Music Week.

The official opening of the Festival took place the next day at the Karatza Amphitheater of the National Bank, where Georges Perot, Founder of MESO Events and Artistic Director of Athens Music Week, welcomed the audience and joined a stimulating conversation with Olga Sismanidi, Senior Expert at the EU’s Creative Europe Programme, Demy Gountoufa, Deputy General Manager of Strategy & Sustainable Development at the National Bank of Greece, and Tasos Voyiatzis, Co-Founder & CEO of Brainfood Media, setting the tone for three days full of inspiration and collaboration.

One of the most impactful discussions on the first day was held on the second floor of the Olympias Hotel, where prominent professionals from the music and media world – including Andreas Periklis Metaxas, Aneta Jurišić, Dimitris Lilis, Oleg Rozov, Panagiotis Menegos, and Sofia Hussein joined journalist and Avopolis editor-in-chief Evi Choursanidi to share practical ways in which emerging artists can stand out in today’s highly competitive music landscape.

Following the conference sessions and a well-deserved break, audiences made their way to Aux Club, Rektifie, and Eliart for a dynamic evening of showcases ranging from indie rock and space-pop to electronic jazz and post-punk – wrapping up the first day with danceable energy and genre-spanning sounds.

The post A Powerful Kick Off to a Week of Music & Connection! appeared first on Athens Music Week.

For the first time this year, AMW goes out into the city, with the majority of the conference events taking place at the historic Olympia Hotel, the Karatzas Amphitheatre of the National Bank, ETERON, and the historic Old (Small) Stock Exchange, while the evening concert programme will be hosted in the Kerameikos neighborhood, specifically at AUX Club, Oddity Club, Rektifié, and the ELIART Theater.

With a focus on highlighting Athens’ contemporary creative identity and supporting emerging artists, the 7th Athens Music Week returns with a central theme: the relationship between humans and technology in a rapidly evolving environment. Through inspiring talks, panels, workshops, and interactive experiences, AMW sheds light on key issues concerning those active in the music ecosystem—from developments and the latest trends in the music industry to mental health issues stemming from creative pressure, and from the challenges artists face in their early career steps to the analysis of global cultural phenomena such as K-Pop.

Renowned professionals and representatives from the fields of culture, cultural management, the creative industries, and entrepreneurship—such as Leonidas Christopoulos (CEO of EKKOMED), Prodromos Tsiavos (Head of Digital & Innovation, Onassis Group), Pam Lewis-Rudden (Co-founder & Vice President, Plutonic Group Syncs – UK), Marc-André Schmachtel (Director of Cultural Programs of Goethe-Institut Athens – Regional Institutes of Europe – DE), Finlay Johnson (COO, Association for Electronic Music – UK), and many more—will participate in this year’s AMW and explore the characteristics that make the city an emerging hub of creativity and innovation in the Mediterranean.

Technology

At the heart of this year’s Athens Music Week is digital transformation and technology, with the participation of leading figures from the global music and tech scene. Creators, executives from innovative music startups, tech experts, and artists join forces to highlight the opportunities and challenges brought by new technologies. Among them, Hankyul Yoo (Creative Business Development Lead, Supertone – KO), Iara Dias (Chief Executive Officer, ikkio – FI/BR),and Sakis Triantafyllakis (Director of Operational Excellence, Orfium) will discuss how artificial intelligence is transforming the way music is created, distributed, and monetized.At the same time, Aspa Lekka (Chief Operating Officer, Reydix), Michalis Petychakis (Chief Technology Officer, Dialectica), Andy Sohn (Enterprise Business Development Lead, Supertone – KO), and Anastasia Mavroyianni (Head of Innovation at the Onassis Foundation) will discuss the complex relationship between creativity, technology, and funding, focusing on the challenges in the Cultural and Creative Industries sector.

New creators

Artists from Greece and abroad, such as Elena Leoni, Kareem Kalokoh, Özge Ürer (Turkey), and Blu Fiefer (Lebanon – Mexico), will share personal stories from their journey in the music world, revealing how they overcame difficulties and adapted to changes in the music industry. Additionally, internationally acclaimed artists such as Billy Lockett from the UK and Bashar Murad from Palestine will speak about how they build strong connections with their audience, offering valuable insights and tools for emerging musicians.

Music ecosystem

The music industry can be full of inspiration, creativity, and passion – but it often comes with intense pressure and uncertainty. This year, AMW opens the discussion around the mental health of professionals in the field. The need for a more honest and open dialogue is reflected in the participation of Efthimis Karadimas, founder of Nightfall, who has spoken publicly about his own experience with depression and has founded the initiative Metal Music Against Depression. Within the broader themes exploring the social dimensions of the music ecosystem, the decisive role of artists and music professionals in promoting social responsibility, environmental awareness, and mental well-being will be examined, highlighting the connection of art with activism and the protection of the planet.

Electronic music

At the same time, this year’s event turns its attention to the identity of Athens’ electronic music scene, in collaboration with the international organization AFEM (Association for Electronic Music). With Berlin, Amsterdam, and many other cities having built strong international profiles through their nightlife culture, AMW—through representatives such as Voltnoi Brege and Quetempo from Stegi Radio and Onassis Stegi, DJ and producer K.atou, and Creative Producer and DJ Stathis Kalantzis—brings to the table the discussion of what Athens needs to develop its own distinctive place on the global map of electronic music. Furthermore, the challenges faced by DJs and producers will be addressed by Galya Titukova (Label Manager & Producer, Set About Music – BG), Nafsika Mavromoustakou (DJ & owner of Revolt record store), and Steve Mill (Senior Artist Marketing Manager at Beatport), who will propose strategies and tools enabling new producers and artists to build sustainable and stable careers.

Educational workshops

Educational workshops remain a core part of the event, covering critical topics in the music industry. Lefteris Moumtzis, Vasilis Dokakis, and Anastasia Dimitriadou will explore how artists can turn creative blockages into tools, while Susanna Aleksandra Veldi will focus on the art of vocal improvisation and group creativity, inviting the audience to a participatory circle singing workshop. Additionally, established professionals such as Nikos Stamboulopoulos (director, screenwriter, and Module Leader at SAE Athens) and Alexandros Dimou (co-founder of Mythodia Visuals) will lead a workshop dedicated to creating music videos through AI, mastering, and visual identity. Other workshops on self-promotion strategies, independent career management, music production with limited resources, and using free tools for home music creation will offer valuable knowledge to DIY artists.

Live a unique festival experience!

After the end of the conference programme, the live music action begins!  From early in the evening, Athens Music Week pours into the heart of Kerameikos, particularly the stages of Aux Club, Rektifié, Oddity Club, and ELIART, where 40 unique Greek and International acts will showcase their special music ideas and sonic proposals as part of the Showcase concert programme.

Among them are the multi-talented Elena Leoni, the theatrical Ody Icons, Akylas with his explosive stage presence, the lyrical Kos K, Savina with her experimental sound, the emerging singer-songwriter Danai Nielsen, the talented UK singer-songwriter Billy Lockett, the high-energy quintet Cosmonuts, Jeff Maarawi with his expressive performances, the subversive The BuzzDealers, the unique Moonlight Benjamin with roots in France and Haiti, Divorce From New York from Spain with his alternative electro-jazz sound, the dynamic band The Page of Cups, the multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter Bipolia, and dozens more waiting to be discovered!

AMW2025 is organized in partnership with Brainfood Media and the National Bank of Greece, in the context of Panathēnea, with the support of the Federation of Music Conferences (FoMC) and Music Tech Europe Academy (MTEA), an initiative co-funded by the Creative Europe program of the European Union.

More information on speakers, artists, and the four-day program here

Ticket presales here

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