A major UK crowd safety conference will open this March with a defining keynote panel, uniting three parents who have each turned personal tragedy into international leadership on safer crowds and public spaces.
The flagship conference of the United Kingdom Crowd Management Association (UKCMA) takes place in Middlesbrough on Tuesday, 3 March and Wednesday, 4 March 2026.
UKCMA will welcome three parents who lost children at live events, placing lived experience at the centre of the debate on crowd safety and public protection. This is a rare moment, where the industry hears the impact on families when things go wrong and underlines the importance of the work the UKCMA members do.
Brian Dubiski, Figen Murray OBE, and Ken Johnson are headline speakers for the opening panel.
Dubiski lost his daughter, Madison, at the 2021 Travis Scott Astroworld concert. In response, Madison’s family established the Pink Bows Foundation, dedicated to improving welfare, preparedness, and safety at live events worldwide. Figen Murray OBE is the pioneering force behind Martyn’s Law, the world’s first-of-its-kind counter terrorism legislation, following the death of her son in the 2017 Manchester Arena terrorist attack where 22 people lost their lives. Johnson lost his son, Scott, a Radiohead drum technician, in the 2012 stage roof collapse at Toronto’s Downsview Park. He later founded the Events Safety Alliance Canada (ESAC) Safety Awards, championing excellence and accountability in live event safety.
Anne Marie Chebib, Chair of the UKCMA, said: ‘This headline panel is central to the UKCMA’s mission. Learning from incidents and taking collective action is key to preventing future tragedies. We are deeply honoured to welcome three parents who have dedicated themselves to campaigning for safer crowds and venues worldwide. Our delegates and members work closely together on event sites, in the public realm, and in venues but seldom have the opportunity to learn together off site. Safer Crowds, Safer Venues brings the industry together to share knowledge, develop new skills, with the ultimate goal of saving lives.”
The conference takes place as people await more details on the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, also known as Martyn’s Law, which received Royal Assent on Thursday 3 April 2025. The legislation is named in honour of Martyn Hett and introduces new duties aimed at protecting the public from terrorism at qualifying premises and events.
With the official guidance imminent, a dedicated session, “Prepared, Not Scared: A Practical Guide to Martyn’s Law Readiness,” will provide real-world guidance on proportionate security planning, risk assessment, and preparedness strategies.
Figen Murray OBE said: “UKMCA provides an opportunity to strengthen collaboration between sectors and key partners to improve awareness around Martyn’s Law, to share best practice, and to enhance security in venues across the UK.”
The UKCMA’s 2026 conference brings together policymakers, venue operators, event professionals, security specialists, and campaigners to explore trends, challenges, and key initiatives. The two-day programme will delve into topics including local authorities and Safety Advisory Groups (SAGs), the complexities of hosting large-scale touring events in sports venues, the importance of language and communication, crisis management, success stories, balancing cultural sensitivities with crowd safety, and the latest technological advancements shaping the industry.
The conference also brings together three key sponsors: headline sponsor Pink Bows Foundation, Global Reach Sponsor DTN, and Place Sponsor Tees Valley Combined Authority. Each plays a vital role in championing safer, smarter, and more resilient events and communities. Their commitment and expertise help make this conference possible and strengthen the impact of our collective work.
Dubiski said: “I’m deeply honoured to be speaking alongside Figen Murray and Ken Johnson. The Pink Bows Foundation is driven by a simple but powerful belief—that every crowd deserves to return home safely. That belief sits at the very heart of the work being championed by the event safety and security professionals gathered at this UKCMA conference. We are passionately committed to supporting the sector as it continues to strengthen the protection of audiences, by sharing lessons learned from around the world and helping to embed best practice”
Johnson added, “I hope that I can highlight many of the issues that we all care about and share my experiences and positive steps taken. We enjoyed enormous support from the Ministry of Labour in Canada and after the inquest highlighted 28 gaps in procedure, have had the backing of the Events Safety Alliance Canada, who are still supporting and implementing change. My past involvement with Simian Risk a training organisation in the UK has seen their evolution of The Event Structures Industry Training Scheme (ESITS), which provides specialist training, accreditation and competency assurance for those working on temporary demountable structures.”
