First speakers announced for 2026 Tallinn Music Week conference
The first speakers have been announced for the 2026 Tallinn Music Week (TMW) conference, including former Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, Glastonbury's Green Futures Field Production Manager Lisa Nasta and Director of Culture Ireland Sharon Barry.
With 2026 set to be its 18th edition, Tallinn Music Week (TMW) is one of Europe's premier music industry gatherings, bringing stound 1,500 industry professionals and delegations from around the globe to the Estonian capital.
According to a TMW press release, the first wave of speakers for the 2026 conference promises compelling perspectives on what's defining the future of music, culture, and society.
Former Finnish Foreign Minister and Member of Parliament Pekka Haavisto will deliver a keynote at the conference on the phenomenon of "sisu" and the impact of music and culture as the foundation of societal resilience.
This theme of culture as a force for resilience and change runs through the work of all this year's speakers.
In addition to Haavisto also speaking at TMW 2026 will be Director of Re-Play Music C.I.C. Lisa Branigan (Nasta), who serves as area coordinator and production manager for Glastonbury Festival's Green Futures Field as well as working with major U.K. festivals including WOMAD and Weyfest,
Branigan is joined by Chairman and Founder of Cooking Vinyl and co-founder of Palestine Music Expo Martin Goldschmidt, Dean of the Sibelius Academy at the University of the Arts Helsinki Kaisa Rönkkö, cultural critic, broadcaster and chief music critic for Svenska Dagbladet Andres Lokko, Director of Culture Ireland Sharon Barry, and culture curator, entrepreneur and founder of Estonian boutique festival I Land Sound Paap Uspenski.
Completing the first wave of confirmed speakers at the conference are CEO of First Music Contact Angela Dorgan, CEO of Jazz Denmark Eva Frost, CEO of Music x Media Lotta Savolainen, CEO of Estonian Authors' Society Mati Kaalep, and Founder of Music Export Georgia Mariam Karalashvili-Laan.
Tallinn Music Week (TMW) is one of the most acclaimed new music and city culture festivals and key networking events for music and creative industry professionals from across Europe.
TMW has been held annually in the Estonian capital since 2009 and consists of three main program elements: a music festival, a conference and a city festival.
The TMW 2026 conference takes place at Nordic Hotel Forum's conference centre in Tallinn from April 10-11.
More information about the conference, including the full list of confirmed speakers, is available here.
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Editor: Michael Cole
