The Live Events Stage is back for 2026 with TPi curating talks and panels from Tuesday 3 to Thursday 5 February 2026, and Production Futures taking over the stage on Friday 6 February.
Located at the end of Hall 6, the stage will once again offer a behind-the-scenes look at some of the world’s most incredible live events, featuring the people who bring them to life. Supported by headline sponsor MA Lighting and Ross Video, who are sponsoring Wednesday’s panel, the stage will host four days of panels and interviews with visionaries from across the entertainment sphere. From audio engineers and lighting designers to content creators and show directors, this is the definitive hub for live events at ISE.
While continuing to spotlight professionals from the world of live touring, this year’s programme will also explore large-scale ceremonies, architainment, and installations. Attendees will gain insight into real-world applications of the technologies and products.
You can find the full programme below:
Tuesday 3 February
10:30: Live Events in 2026 with MA Lighting
Following an incredibly busy year for the live events community in 2025, MA Lighting’s Stephan Saremba discusses the trends he has observed in touring productions, along with the evolving demands placed on event professionals and the tools they require to continue pushing the art of show design forward.
Speakers
Stephan Saremba, Managing Director – MA Lighting International
Stew Hume, Managing Editor – TPi
11:15: Wonderwall
Following one of the most talked-about tours of the past 12 months, the Live Events Stage welcomes members of the technical team behind Oasis Live ’25 to share their insights.
Speakers
Joshua Lloyd, Head of Engineering / Event Support – Britannia Row Productions
Mark Strange, Projects Lead – Universal Pixels
Peter Holdich, Stages Director – Star Live
12:00: More Than a Stage
Unpacking the ever-evolving world of automation, robotics, and aerial magic within stage and set design — and the new tools at creatives’ disposal.
Speakers
Hans Willems, Founder & CEO – WiCREATIONS
Tom Rees, Managing Partner – Audience & Brands
13:30: Connecting to Your Audience
A former roadie for acts including Iron Maiden, Rich Mulholland moved from touring the world to build a career helping business leaders take the stage with purpose. In an increasingly competitive live events market, Rich will explore how business owners can communicate more effectively with their end users, with the goal of building stronger connections and achieving greater success.
Speaker
Rich Mulholland, Founder – Missing Link
14:00: 50 Years of Audio Innovation
A rental house born from the team behind Pink Floyd, the Live Events Stage welcomes members of Britannia Row Productions to reflect on their 50-year history and discuss the evolution of professional audio.
Speakers
Joshua Lloyd, Head of Engineering / Event Support – Britannia Row Productions
Mike Lowe, Non-Executive Director – Britannia Row Productions
Bryan Grant, Non-Executive Director – Britannia Row Productions
Louis Briggs, Live Audio Technician – Britannia Row Productions
14:45: The Hidden Artist
A live recording of the Glyph podcast, hosted by Tupac Martir.
Speaker
Pavel Zmunchila, Co-creator – 4×10.dev
Guest Chair
Tupac Martir, Creative Director and Founder – Satore Studio
15:30: Lighting the Way
In this roundtable, we unpack the modern world of show design with several leading lighting and creative directors — from pre-vis techniques to fixture selection.
Speakers
Romain Pissenem, Show Producer – High Scream
Sam Parry, Production Designer – The Owl Creative Designs
Andrius Stasiulis, Founder – Marfa Lights
Sam Connolly, Head of Lighting and Power – Creative Technology
Sergi Prat, Lighting Designer
16:15: Behind the Mixer
From band rehearsals to mixing a show in front of thousands, we explore what it takes to be a sound engineer in today’s world of live touring.
Speaker
Tony Smith, Audio System Designer. – Xdb Ltd, Xdb Audio
Wednesday 4 February
10:30: The Supply Chain
Core to keeping the entertainment machine running, rental houses are at the heart of every production. In this session, we hear how these businesses are operating in 2026 and adapting to meet the demands of the modern world.
Speakers
Lisa Stafford, CEO – TAZAAR
Bob Walpot, President EMEA & APAC – PRG
Roy van den Broek – Rentman
11:15: Inside LMG’s most spectacular productions
In partnership with Ross Video, we’ll hear from Mike Steinbrecher, Business Development Director at Ross Video, alongside Patrick Verhey from LMG Systems, as they discuss how the Vertex AV production suite empowers LMG to deliver some of today’s most striking and ambitious projects, driving modern immersive experiences.
Speakers
Mike Steinbrecher, Business Development Director Experiential Technologies – Ross Video
Patrick Verhey, Director – Media R&D and Training – LMG Systems Innovation
12:00: Kick-Off – FIFA World Cup
With the World Cup just around the corner, Julien Pateau, Executive Producer for the pre-match ceremonies, joins us on the Live Events Stage to provide an inside look at how these large-scale, televised spectacles are conceived and executed.
Speaker
Julien Pateau, CEO & Founder – Lab 2580
14:00: Venue of the Future
Enhancing the fan experience at Avicii Arena with immersive active electroacoustics.
Speakers
Anders Jørgensen, Project executive – Stouenborg ApS
Guest Chair
Todd Staszko, Editor – MONDO-DR
14:45: Cirque du Soleil: ALIZÉ
The creative and production team behind Cirque’s latest Berlin residency take to the stage to reveal how one of their jaw-dropping shows comes together.
Speaker
Simon Lachance, Director of Technical Design – Cirque Du Soleil
Guest Chair
Todd Staszko, Editor – MONDO-DR
15:30: LEDing the Way
An analysis of the evolving world of video in live touring and the adoption of cinematic techniques.
Speakers
Jack Banks, Director
Danny Hodgetts, Business Manager – CuePilot
Martin Kuhn
Tom Burford, Director of Technical Delivery – Creative Technology London
Tupac Martir, Creative Director and Founder – Satore Studio
16:15: Building for Success: How Large-Scale Tours Come Together — Now and Next
As tours become increasingly complex, the role of production rehearsals has never been more important. In this session, we’ll explore what goes into the rehearsal process and how large-scale productions are built and brought to life.
Speakers
Adam ‘Bullet’ Bettley, VP, Project Delivery – TAIT
Emma Gomez, COO – Production Park
Emma Cook, Director of Student Experience – Academy of Live Technology
Phil Adlam MEng FHEA – Head of xplor
Thursday 5 February
10:30: On the High Seas
An in-depth look at the advancing world of AV on high-end cruise ships.
Speakers
Paul Byrne, Managing Director – ewp
Matt DeJong, Lead Design Associate – SLVR/LES – Royal Caribbean Group
Guest Chair
Daisy Thorogood, Assistant Editor – MONDO-DR
11:15: Emerging Markets
Join industry leaders from the Middle East, Africa, and South America as they share insights on the growth, challenges, and opportunities shaping the next wave of global entertainment.
Speakers
Duncan Riley, Managing Director – DWR Distribution
Andy Reardon, Managing Director – Creative Technology
Chris Palmer, Executive Commercial Director – Rock-it Cargo
12:00: A Quest for a Greener Future
How is the events industry tackling the topic of sustainability in 2026?
Speakers
Axelle Meunier, CSR Project Manager – L-Acoustics
Andy Land, Global Head of Sustainability – The Focusrite Group
14:00: Camera, Screens and the Expanding Visual Stage
As video landscapes grow larger and more immersive, how do directors and designers ensure that the performer remains at the centre of the story?
Speaker
Tito Sabatini, Show Director – Duo2
Guest Chair
Laura Frank, Executive Director – frame:work
14:45: The Sky becomes a Stage – The Art and Technology of Drone Spectacles
Drone swarms are redefining spectacle as spatial, three-dimensional media, turning the sky itself into a performative canvas. This conversation explores large-scale aerial storytelling, from algorithmic choreography and audience emotion to the realities of safety, regulation, and physics. Through landmark shows and record-setting moments, we examine how drone performances are emerging as a new discipline at the intersection of art, data, and live cultural experience.
Speakers
Darrel ‘Daz’ Jamieson, Creative Director – HQ Worldwide Shows – Dubai
Denis Kornilovich, Co Founder – LumaSky
Guest Chair
Pawel ‘Spider’ Pajak, Creative Director / Producer – Percepto
15:30: Surfing the Soundwave
What will be the next evolution in audio delivery for live events?
Speakers
Pieter Doms, Freelance Audio Engineer
Michael Kinzel, Global Segment Manager, Live and Entertainment Venues – d&b audiotechnik
Fabian Braun, CEO – JOYNED
16:15: Behind the Screen
Inside the touring video world and the art of capturing the action in real time — bringing live moments to life.
Speaker
Jack Banks, Director
You can view the full schedule for the Production Futures takeover on Friday 6 February here.
