Thousands of aspiring young creatives descended on the Roundhouse on 9 March 2026 for Production Futures On Tour: London, a free event connecting the next generation with careers across the live events, music, broadcast, film and creative industries.
Now in its second year at the iconic Camden venue, the event saw more than 4,500 young people register to attend, with stands, talks and networking spaces packed throughout the day. More than 70 industry and education partners were on site offering advice, insight and opportunities across a wide range of creative and technical roles.
PF On Tour also saw over 200 registrations from NEET backgrounds (Not in Education, Employment or Training), engaging directly with industry professionals, alongside members of the home-educated community, reflecting Production Futures’ continued focus on opening pathways into the creative industries for young people from all backgrounds.
Throughout the day, visitors attended a packed programme of talks, panels and technical sessions featuring professionals from across the sector, including speakers from organisations such as Red Bull, The Zoo XYZ, ourppls, Well-Being Well-Known, HELA, as well as several Breakthrough Talent Award winners, including Dylan Swann from PRG and Abby Shum, founder of Liberation Lasers and more.
Sessions explored everything from career pathways and wellbeing to highly specialised technical roles within live events. One session focused careers in rigging, offering insight into the physical demands of the role as well as training routes and earning potential for those entering the profession.
A particularly popular session led by Work Ready Collective focused on the importance of soft skills when entering the workplace, highlighting how communication, self-awareness and resilience are often the qualities employers value most in early career talent. The session clearly struck a chord with attendees, with more than 300 young people queuing afterwards to continue the conversation and seek advice from the speakers.
Across the day’s discussions, several key themes emerged for young people looking to break into the industry: strong communication skills, resilience, initiative and the importance of building real connections with people already working in the sector.
A panel discussion also explored belonging and representation within the creative industries, with speakers encouraging attendees to seek out supportive communities, mentors and networks as they begin their careers.
The event concluded with a keynote from Freyja Lawson, live audio engineer and monitor engineer for Yungblud, who shared insights into her journey into touring and life behind the scenes on major global productions.
Hannah Eakins, CEO of Production Futures, said: “These events are all about opening doors. There are thousands of incredible careers behind the scenes in music, film, TV and live events, and most young people simply don’t know they exist. Seeing the Roundhouse packed all day with people across all ages asking questions, meeting industry professionals and discovering new opportunities is exactly why we do this. The appetite to work in the creative industries is huge – our job is to connect that enthusiasm with the people and companies who need the next generation of talent.”
Production Futures On Tour events are designed to help address the skills shortage across the UK’s creative and live events industries by connecting young people directly with employers, training providers and professionals working across the sector.
The London event forms part of a wider national programme of Production Futures On Tour events, bringing together industry leaders, educators and emerging talent to help bridge the gap between education and employment within the creative sector.
Highlights and attendee experiences from the day can be found across social media using #PFOnTour.
