AVA London 2026: Beyond the Dancefloor
Three days and nights of electronic music, visual art, industry insight and cultural exchange arrive in the capital from 24–26 September.
AVA London returns this September with a programme designed to connect every side of contemporary music culture.
Taking place from 24–26 September 2026, the ninth edition will bring artists, producers, promoters, label executives and creative innovators together for three days and nights of conversations, workshops, networking and forward-thinking electronic music.
Built around the theme “Beyond Boundaries,” the event moves beyond the traditional music conference format. Instead, AVA creates a space where the business of music, its creative possibilities and the energy of the dancefloor can exist within the same conversation.
From daytime sessions at the British Library to late-night takeovers at some of London’s most important venues, AVA London will explore not only where electronic music stands today, but where it might go next.
The conversations shaping music’s future
Across Thursday 24 and Friday 25 September, the British Library will host an extensive series of keynotes, live interviews, workshops, masterclasses and industry forums.
The programme opens with The Avalanches in conversation with DJ Mag, followed by discussions tackling the future of queer nightlife, artist funding, music technology, brand partnerships and the infrastructure supporting independent creative communities.
Electronic music pioneers Fabio & Grooverider will reflect on their enduring contribution to UK club culture, while artist, writer and creative strategist Elijah will lead a practical workshop exploring grant funding for artists and creatives.
Elsewhere, teamLab’s Takashi Kudo will examine the possibilities of interactive art, while Ableton, AlphaTheta, AFEM, PRS for Music and Roundhouse will contribute specialist sessions covering production, performance, licensing and the realities of building a sustainable career in music.
AVA’s focus is not limited to established voices. Emerging artists and independent professionals sit at the heart of the programme, with workshops, networking opportunities and direct access to figures working across labels, management, publishing, festivals, venues, technology and media.
That commitment to the next generation reflects something we strongly believe in at MITA. Our own search for the artists shaping tomorrow is now open through the MITA Top 100 Emerging Artists 2027, inviting DJs and electronic music artists from around the world to submit their work or receive a nomination before 31 December 2026.
From cultural identity to the business of music
Some of AVA London’s most compelling moments are likely to come from the meeting of music and wider cultural questions.
Palestinian DJ, producer and cultural activist Sama’ Abdulhadi will appear in conversation with a special guest, exploring a career that has brought global visibility to Palestine’s electronic music community while demonstrating how music can carry meaning far beyond the club.
Other sessions will examine who gets to build the future of nightlife, the evolving value of artists and audiences, new approaches to creative partnerships and the relationship between music, gaming and intellectual property.
On Friday, Oklou will take part in a live Resident Advisor Exchange, while Moby will deliver a virtual keynote with EarthPercent. The programme also includes “What’s Next for Nightlife?”, the Festival Forum and a PRS for Music session dedicated to the business behind the art.
Rather than presenting a single vision of the industry, AVA places different generations, disciplines and perspectives in dialogue. It is a reminder that electronic music has never developed in isolation: it grows through technology, community, resistance, experimentation and the physical spaces that allow people to come together.
When the conversation moves to the club
After the daytime sessions, AVA London shifts across the city for a series of performances and club nights.
On Thursday, AVA joins forces with Irish storytelling platform Seanchoíche for a special edition centred on the theme of time, bringing spoken stories and shared human experiences into the wider programme.
Friday’s schedule expands across multiple venues. At Outernet Live, AVA will partner with Resident Advisor to launch the platform’s RA25 celebrations, featuring Blawan Live, Mala, Bitter Babe Live AV featuring Koch.a and AliA.
On the same night, AVA makes its FOLD debut with a lineup featuring Optimo, Swoose, Holly Lester, Body Clinic, JWY and a special guest. It is a combination that reflects the festival’s approach: respected selectors, emerging voices and artists willing to push beyond predictable club formats.
The final night heads east to EartH in Hackney, where Skin On Skin presents a Stay On Sight takeover alongside Evian Christ, Croatian Amor and mi-el.
Across the weekend, the venues become an extension of the conference itself. Ideas discussed during the day are transformed into sound, visuals, movement and collective experience after dark.
London’s electronic season is only beginning
AVA London arrives at the beginning of an especially active autumn for the capital’s electronic music community.
Only one week later, Jamie Jones will launch the inaugural edition of his new concept at Ironworks. You can discover the full vision behind the show in our feature, Jamie Jones Brings Voyager to London’s Ironworks.
The season will continue on 24 October when CamelPhat take over Ironworks for their day-to-night show. Afterwards, MITA Magazine will carry the energy into the early hours with an intimate, limited-capacity afterparty at Starlane.
Running from 11PM until 7AM, the night will feature LEON, Giovanni Savoca, Alfie and Bazil, with only 200 guests able to attend. Tickets for the MITA Magazine Ironworks Afterparty are available through Resident Advisor.
Together, these events show the range and momentum of London’s current electronic landscape: from industry exchange and audiovisual experimentation to major warehouse productions and intimate underground dancefloors.
More than a music conference
AVA London’s real strength is its ability to connect worlds that are too often treated separately.
Artists need spaces to perform, but they also need knowledge, networks, resources and opportunities. Promoters need unforgettable lineups, but they must also understand changing audiences and the responsibility involved in building sustainable cultural spaces. Technology can open new creative possibilities, but it also raises questions surrounding value, ownership and artistic independence.
AVA places those conversations alongside the music rather than outside it.
For artists, it offers practical insight and access to the wider industry. For professionals, it creates opportunities for collaboration and new thinking. For electronic music fans, its nighttime programme brings together some of the most distinctive artists currently operating across club culture.
AVA London takes place from 24–26 September 2026, with conference sessions at the British Library and nighttime events across Outernet Live, FOLD, EartH and other London venues.
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