PROGRAM
Thursday, June 19th
11:00 - 12:00
Location: Venustiano Carranza
Conference: Current overview of the Mexican recording music market
An in-depth conversation about the current state of the recorded music industry in Mexico, in a context where streaming, social media, and digital platforms drive consumption. The main listening trends in audio and video will be analyzed, as well as the challenges and opportunities faced by both artists and independent labels in accessing distribution channels, monetization, and visibility in a highly competitive market. The growing interest of global companies in investing in Mexican talent and infrastructure will also be discussed, as well as how this redefines the dynamics of ownership and control in the local industry.
11:00 - 12:00
Location: Adolfo Lopez Mateos
Workshop: YouTube: The Music Video Renaissance
In this masterclass, we'll explore the relevance of music videos today and the new visual narratives that enrich musical projects, extending their impact and strengthening the connection with fans. We'll analyze the strategic importance of music videos and the various strategies for their release and optimization on YouTube.
12:00 - 13:00
Location: Venustiano Carranza
Conference: Musical Capitals of Mexico City: A Guide to Understanding the City's Musical DNA
Mexico City doesn't have just one defining sound. It has thousands. This is because it's the capital of scenes as diverse as cumbia, high energy, neo perreo, urban rock, latin indie folk, experimental music, free jazz, tropical electronica, and more.
In this talk, Discos y Amigos, Mexico City's music tourism laboratory, will take us on a tour of the city's musical DNA, visiting several of these scenes. What's playing now? Who's making waves? And where does it all come from? Let the tour begin.
Speakers: Pablo Borchi Klapp (Sound Diplomacy)
12:30 - 13:30
Location: Adolfo Lopez Mateos
Conference: More than a sound
The path, strategies, and tools to generate impact in music.
Speakers: Joaquin Fernandez, Florencia Saavedra / Moderator: Sandra Ortega
13:00 - 14:00
Location: Venustiano Carranza
Conference: How to Build Community Around Your Music? A Conversation with Leon Leiden
"In this panel, we'll explore key strategies for building a strong ecosystem around your musical project, beyond just releasing songs. Along with León Leiden, we'll discuss how to make the most of digital platforms (DSPs) to position your music, how to plan releases with a strategic vision, and how to generate content that keeps the conversation going with your audience.
We'll also discuss the importance of building an authentic and close community, how to communicate with them genuinely, and how to turn your listeners into loyal fans who will support your career long-term. This is an ideal space for artists looking to understand the current industry landscape and learn how to connect the dots between music, platforms, and people."
14:30 - 15:30
Location: Adolfo Lopez Mateos
Conference: Music export offices: their key role in the international development of a musical project
Speakers: Dom Alessio (Sounds Australia), Bernabé Cantlón, Sebastián Alvarado
Moderator: Michaël Spanu
When a musical project seeks to expand beyond its country, having the right support can make all the difference. In this talk we'll discuss the fundamental role of exchange and export offices in this process: from facilitating connections with local professionals to helping understand the cultural differences that directly impact the success of an international strategy.
12:00 - 13:00
Location: Venustiano Carranza
Conference: Global Mexico: The internationalization of Mexican music
In this panel, we'll explore the key factors that have propelled Mexican music to international audiences, from the cultural strength of its genres to the importance of strategic teams and global connections. We'll discuss the opportunities the Mexican market offers as a launching point for international projects, as well as the challenges artists and labels face in this process. Through a binational perspective, we'll share perspectives from distribution, marketing, and direct experience developing talent with global reach.
Speakers: Celene Torres, Eduardo Chávez
15:30 - 16:30
Location: Adolfo Lopez Mateos
Conference: Cultural Rhythms: Expanding Mexican Music to Southeast Asia
Immerse yourself in the shared cultural ties between Mexico and Southeast Asia and explore how legacy and fresh strategies are driving new musical collaborations. This session offers insights into marketing, booking, and public relations, while addressing the challenges artists face when entering new markets. We'll also highlight festivals and organizations, like AXEAN, that are paving the way for meaningful cross-border cultural dialogue and truly global artistic exchange.
15:30 - 16:30
Location: Venustiano Carranza
Conference: Festival Internacional Cervantino: Mexico's Screen to the World
The International Cervantino Festival is not only one of Mexico's most important cultural gatherings, but also a key platform for the international projection of Mexican performing arts. This panel will explore how its presence in cultural markets in Latin America and Europe has contributed to the festival's global positioning, and how, in turn, it has boosted the internationalization of national groups.
We will discuss the elements necessary to ensure the permanence and relevance of a festival on the national and international cultural circuit, and will question whether or not there are formulas for its creation and consolidation in a changing environment.
16:30 - 17:30
Location: Adolfo Lopez Mateos
Conference: Musical maps: How understanding different markets enhances artistic strategy.
Every market has its own unique rhythm, and understanding these differences can pave the way to international success. In this talk, we'll explore what it truly means to be export-ready: from adapting branding and storytelling to different cultural contexts to leveraging key festivals and international partnerships. We'll also discuss the role of the artist as a cultural ambassador and how purposeful touring—through strategic cities, residencies, and songwriting camps—can build a sustainable and meaningful global presence.
Friday, June 20th
11:00 - 12:00
Location: Venustiano Carranza
Conference: Independents in Mexico: Keys, Challenges, and Triumphs
This talk brings together diverse voices from the independent scene to share the moments, strategies, and decisions that have shaped their careers. Through success stories, marketing campaigns, shows, and anecdotes, the challenges, advantages, and key alliances that arise when building a career outside of traditional industry models will be explored.
Panelists: Marcela Murillo, Isael Gutiérrez / Moderator: Robbie Lear
11:00 - 13:00
Location: Adolfo Lopez Mateos
Conference: TikTok and Music Promotion: Strategies and Opportunities for Catalog Exploitation in Mexico
TikTok has become the key platform for promoting and leveraging the music catalog in Mexico. Its ability to attract new audiences to artists and serve as a space for musical discovery have transformed it into a unique place for creating trends and musical ecosystems that become unique viral moments. But how do I use TikTok if I'm a musician? We'll discuss that in our conversation.
12:00 - 13:00
Location: Venustiano Carranza
Conference: Music in Film and Advertising: Meet the people in charge
The Spanish-Speaking Music Supervision Association (ASM) will open the door to the world of music supervision in the audiovisual world. We'll learn what the ASM is, who its members are, and why their work is key to film, TV, advertising, video game, and other projects. They'll share their goals as a professional community and how you can get involved. Are you interested in having your music featured in a film? Do you want to connect with creative decision-makers in the industry? Here, they'll give you tips for contacting music supervisors and getting off on the right foot.
Speakers: Chava Carreón, Héctor Vázquez, Martha Fritz
13:00 - 14:30
Location: Adolfo Lopez Mateos
Conference: Growing Together: Communication, Vision, and Trust Between Artist and Management. An interview by Silvana Estrada with Edwin Erazo
The relationship between artist and management is one of the most important (and sometimes most complex) in a musical career. In this panel, we'll discuss how to build a dynamic of trust, clear communication, and a shared vision.
Speakers: Edwin Erazo / Moderator: Silvana Estrada
14:30 - 15:30
Location: Venustiano Carranza
Conference: MERCH WITHOUT BORDERS: Wearing your brand is key on tour.
Merchandise not only represents a key source of income for artists, but also an extension of their identity and connection with their audiences. In this panel, the CEO of Mercadorama and the CEO of Latinmerch, two of the most important merch platforms in Latin America, will discuss the challenges and advantages of having strategic partners in each territory. With a focus on brand building and storytelling for fans, promoters, and the press, we will discuss everything from sustainability to logistics. We will explore how a local approach can generate a global impact.
Moderator: Ahmed Bautista (Mercadorama), Ricardo Lira
15:30 - 16:30
Location: Adolfo Lopez Mateos
Conference: Less burnout, more music: meet meetmargo, your music marketing assistant (presented by Lilian Cázares)
Tired of feeling like you're doing everything but music? In this talk, we introduce you to meetmargo, a virtual assistant created for artists who want to focus on what they truly love: creating, connecting, and sharing their art, without getting lost in the chaos of marketing. We'll show you how this tool uses artificial intelligence to help you plan releases, generate content ideas, organize your strategy, and stay on track... without burning out in the process. If you dream of having someone to guide you step by step (without charging you as an agency), this talk is for you.
Speakers: Luisfer Rosas, Daniel Cázares
15:30 - 16:30
Location: Venustiano Carranza
Conferencia: AI, rights, and phonograms: responsible collaborations in the digital age
Artificial intelligence presents new possibilities for the creation, production, and distribution of music, but also significant challenges in terms of copyright and related rights. This talk explores the discussions in Mexico and Latin America regarding AI regulation, as well as a review of cases of collaboration between record producers and AI developers, highlighting best practices promoted by organizations such as IFPI to foster an environment that protects intellectual property without hindering innovation.
Speakers: Ricardo Aranda Girard, Alonso Tamez Vélez
16:30 - 17:30
Location: Adolfo Lopez Mateos
Conference: Mentors of the Future: The Key to Volunteering and Training New Young Professionals in the Music Industry with Bingo
Speakers: Connie Fuentes, Marién Ferré / Moderator: Israel Miranda
Saturday, June 21st
12:00 - 13:00
Location: Venustiano Carranza
Conferencia: Celebrating the Impact of Music Events and Festivals in Mexico.
We'll explore the role of festivals in job creation, talent development, and economic dynamism. From the evolution of large-scale events to boutique events to their impact on local tourism, we'll also address sustainability, inclusion, and safety as key pillars, as well as the new technological trends that are transforming event production in the country.
12:30 - 14:00
Location: Adolfo Lopez Mateos
Conference: Between intuitionists and legacy: the invisible map of artistic development.
What motivates a manager/booker to bet on a project?
What motivates a manager to take a chance on a project? When do you know it's time to let go? In this intimate interview, Lalo Rojas shares the not always visible paths he's taken alongside emerging artists. We talk about hunches, failures that teach more than successes, connections that transcend the professional, and the vision of the future that drives him to continue in an industry that sometimes oscillates between intuition and numbers. A conversation that offers an insight into those who bet everything on other people's music.
Speakers: Lalo Rojas (Caballeros) Moderator: Pablo Monroy
12:00 - 13:00
Location: Venustiano Carranza
Conferencia: National Festivals, Worldwide Reach.
Festivals in Mexico have become key meeting points for connecting with diverse audiences, emerging artists, and global projects. In this talk, representatives from OCESA and Apodaca Group reflect on how to build large-scale experiences with international relevance, the lessons learned behind curatorial and logistical design, and the challenges of positioning a local festival on the global map.
13:30 - 15:30
Location: Adolfo Lopez Mateos
Conference: Designing applications to request incentives or funds for the creation of musical projects
Tareke Ortiz, Area Director of the "Área en el Sistema de Apoyos a la Creación y Proyectos Culturales", will present how this system for creators, through programs such as the Sistema Nacional de Creadores de Arte, Jóvenes Creadores, Músicos Tradicionales, ENARTES, Creadores Escénicos y Artes en Lenguas Indígenas Nacionales, among others, supports the musical creative cycle at all stages, from the creation phase, assembly, recording production, and socialization of the work.
Speakers: Luis Tareke Ortiz (FONCA)
14:00 - 15:00
Location: Venustiano Carranza
Conference: "From Local to Global: Building a Career Through Authenticity" Presented by SoundOn
What does it mean to build a musical career today, spanning genres as diverse as trap, regional Mexican, and Latin pop? In this panel, three projects—FLVCKKA, BOHEMIO, and HUEYCOYOTE—share their journeys in the industry: from how they've developed their artistic identity to the challenges and lessons they've faced while forging ahead with authentic offerings connected to their roots.A conversation about what it means to grow as an independent artist in Latin America, embracing the diversity of sounds, territories, and narratives.
Speakers: FLVCKKA, BOHEMIO, HUEYCOYOTE. Moderator: Rolando Ríos
15:30 - 17:30
Location: Adolfo Lopez Mateos
Workshop + Networking: Encuentro "En Tu Orilla" (Music Industry Meet Up)
Speakers: Bárbara Ruiz, HueyCoyote, Artemio Pedraza
15:00 - 16:00
Location: Venustiano Carranza
Conference: From personal to professional: the relationship behind the music
"A discussion exploring the manager/artist relationship and perspectives in today's music industry.
In this conversation, we explore the complex, evolving, and deeply human relationship between artist and manager. Through real-life experiences, reflections, and shared learnings, we'll discuss how trust is built, how creative visions align with career strategies, and how to navigate the current challenges of the music industry. From artistic decisions and positioning strategies to topics such as mental health, self-management, and new models of collaboration, this discussion seeks to offer an honest and contemporary look at what it means to support and build an artistic project today."
