International Festival Forum Announces Initial Programming for First-Ever LA Conference

International Festival Forum (IFF) has confirmed the first series of programming sessions for the inaugural North American conference in LA. From September 14-16, 2026, professionals from across the music festival industry will gather to do business and assess the current state of the market.

What’s happening:

• Conference programming will cover the following topics:

• Talent Buying in the Influencer Era.

• International Touring & U.S. Work Visas in 2026.

• Festival Booking Strategies 2027-2030.

• Beyond the Festival: The Evolution of Live Experiences.

• The Audience Equation: Community, Culture & the Cost of Connection.

• Modern Insurance & Risk Management for Festivals.

• Huston Powell, talent buyer for Lollapalooza, Governors Ball, and more, will give a keynote presentation on The Art of the Lineup.

Partners:

• IFF LA is produced by International Live Music Conference (ILMC) and We Group.

• The conference will be held in partnership with ROSTR, Live Nation, Front Gate Tickets, Tysers Live, Event Production Services (EPS), Showstop, CelebrityAccess, and SpinLab Communications.

• AEG Presents will host the AEG Presents Penthouse all three days.

• Agency partners include CAA, Ground Control Touring, High Road Touring, IAG, outer/most, Paladin Artists, ROAM, TBA Agency, The Team, UTA, and WME.

• Each agency will host a pop-up office for on-site festival bookings.

What they said:

• Greg Parmley, Managing Director of ILMC: “We started IFF more than a decade ago with a simple goal: to create a space where festival organizers and booking agencies could connect and do business more effectively. IFF has since grown into one of the most important annual gatherings for the industry, and we're proud to be bringing that model to North America with IFF LA. Our first wave of programming reflects key conversations taking place across the festival business today, and we're excited to bring these discussions to Los Angeles to shape impactful festival lineups.”

• Nick Morgan, CEO of We Group: “The value of in-person experiences has never been more apparent than it is today, and IFF LA addresses that need by bringing industry professionals together to connect and do business. We're delighted to be working with Greg and the team to deliver IFF LA, and welcome such a strong mix of delegates to Los Angeles for cutting-edge programming, networking, and business.”