PANEL | In a time when funding cuts and societal polycrises place the relevance of culture in question, institutions are compelled to engage in sorely needed transformation. This panel showcases two glowing examples where cultural administration has empowered the radical transformation of cultural institutions: Bonn and Düsseldorf.

How do we use data and storytelling to drive both sales now and relevance long-term? This session shares what’s working across leading European cultural organisations.

PANEL | Audiences increasingly expect cultural organisations to take sustainability seriously – yet many struggle with how to talk about it without sounding preachy, tokenistic or at risk of greenwashing. Drawing on large-scale audience research (Act Green), sector research with artists, orchestras and venues (Sustainable Classical), and an ongoing action learning project called Talking Sustainability, this session explores what effective sustainability communication looks like in practice.

As emerging technologies reshape how we connect, how can opera houses unlock new means of presence and performance?

PANEL | By bringing East Asian and Western perspectives into dialogue, this session rethinks how cultural context, identity and creative logics shape classical innovation.

PRESENTATION | General Manager Fabienne Krause and Senior Communication Manager Aliena Haig offer advice on how to network (the before, during and after phase), how to utilise the Expo and how to get the most out of the Conference whatever your role. Media representatives will receive useful how-to’s as well. If you are new to Classical:NEXT, this session is a must!

Shrinking public subsidies, shifting demographics, and extreme economic uncertainty: classical music—orchestras, opera houses, conservatories, and musicians included—faces considerable pressure and unprecedented challenges. Meanwhile, access to the classical world is still determined by unevenly distributed resources, for musicians as well as the public, and upheld by procedures such as traditional auditions.

WORKSHOP | Led by AppleEgg, a new artistic advertising agency created by performing arts producer Brendan Jan Walsh and the visual storytellers of KochxBos, this workshop asks how first-class campaigns use emotion, aesthetic daring and social relevance to move people—and how arts professionals can do the same.

PANEL | Youth Orchestra organisations FOJI (Chile) and MYO (Australia) work in different cultural and geographical contexts, yet both share a deep commitment to expanding access, fostering inclusion, and strengthening youth music learning communities without compromising artistic excellence.

FISHBOWL | How do we keep specialist voices thriving in a world dominated by clicks, algorithms, and AI? Or are we pouring too much of our resources into social media giants, without realising the consequences? Join us at Classical:NEXT for an interactive Fishbowl session with critics, influencers, and industry leaders, as we explore the future of classical music media and how to sustain a resilient classical music ecosystem. Bring your ideas, debate, and help shape the conversation!

INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP | This workshop explores the critical and often overlooked topic of mental health awareness in the performing arts.

KEYNOTE | Join us for the opening of Classical:NEXT 2026 in Budapest! Fabienne Krause (Director, Classical:NEXT) and Aliena Haig (Senior Communications Manager) welcome you to this thirteenth edition, together with the visionary conductor, composer, and thinker Iván Fischer. A Budapest native and musical polymath, Maestro Fischer will share his reflections on the future of classical music, drawing on his unique perspective as one of the most innovative musical minds of our time.

We all have heard plenty of discussions why our sector is struggeling in these times. Let’s move forward by working on solutions.

PANEL | While the classical industry often focuses on “traditional” vs. “passive” listeners, a high-value third demographic is emerging: the “curious & connected.” Drawing on cross-sector experience at FUGA and beyond, Amy Nelson outlines how labels and distributors can capture this audience by shifting focus from repertoire-first to artist-first marketing. This session offers a blend of high-level strategy and practical execution.

PANEL | The Canvas of Sound examines how visual arts and classical music intersect to shape new artistic languages.

PANEL | Sustainability is often seen in the classical music sector as an added burden — more rules, more costs, more administration. This panel challenges that perception.

PANEL | Let’s explore how emerging streaming tech, from blockchain to smart contracts, can help creators gain control and build sustainable music careers.

PANEL | What creative possibilities can new technology provide when looking at inclusion and accessibility in cutting edge orchestral music-making? Join Paraorchestra & Drake Music for a discussion exploring the creative possibilities of new technology provide for inclusion and accessibility in cutting edge orchestral music-making.

PRESENTATION | What would classical music education look like if technology were fully integrated into teaching, practice, and mentorship?

PANEL | Led by the Multi-Story Orchestra in partnership with The Glasgow Barons, this session explores collaborative approaches to music-making that prioritise community voices in the artistic process. Challenging traditional hierarchies and the single-composer model, the session covers practical methodologies for co-creation that foster an ecosystem of self-governing musicians through shared ownership and local meaning.

PANEL | This session is designed as a structured knowledge-transfer and learning format, focusing on revenue generation and commercial strategy from the perspective of venues, presenters, and other commercial stakeholders in the classical music ecosystem. Rather than a panel discussion, the session will be practice- and case-based, drawing on concrete examples from our work in the field.

PANEL | Music cannot be hung on a wall — exhibiting it means addressing its intangible nature. How can museums transform music into spatial and experiential encounters that engage audiences beyond listening?

PANEL | Led by Simon Woods, with experts Deborah Borda, Jamie Njoku-Goodwin and Anselm Rose, this session examines the critical intersection of government relations and private funding. The panel will compare and contrast strategies in three different environments—Europe, the UK, and the US—and discuss how to effectively advocate for the arts and build resilient economic models to ensure the sector’s long-term survival.

INTERACTIVE DISCUSSION | A collective reflection on outsiders* as agents of change. *All definitions of outsider are welcome.

PANEL | Across countries, cities, and musical traditions, questions of equity and representation take different shapes, but they often share common roots. Marginalized and underrepresented communities are omnipresent, shaped by stories of access, power, and cultural recognition. While the examples are not identical, the challenge is familiar: how can classical music institutions, or any cultural institution steeped in tradition, evolve to reflect the full breadth of the communities they serve?

PANEL | We urgently need new concert formats. This panel proposes curatorial tools based on real experiences to rethink and revitalize the concert life of today.

PODCAST | This session turns conference insight into a live conversation led by those shaping the future of classical music, giving attendees the chance to get involved.