Bridge Conference reveals final programme

Bridge Conference 2025 has revealed details of its full programme ahead of the inaugural event in Croatia later this month.

Taking place from 20-22 May, Bridge will be hosted at the luxurious five-star Kempinski Hotel in Istria where organisers have persuaded some of the world’s most influential voices from the music and tech sectors to share their thoughts for an event they hope will “spark powerful new connections and unlock global opportunities.”

Among the speaker line-up will be Maria May (CAA), Indira Paganotto (ARTCORE), Matthias Strobel (MusicTech Germany), Steve Hogan (WME), Cindy Castillo (Mad Cool), Juan Arnau (Elrow), Dušan Kovačević (EXIT), Julie Pilat (FYI.AI), Ivan Milivojev (EXIT), Turo Pekari (MusicTech Finland), Ruud Berends (IFF), Nick Mathews (Wasserman Music), Jess Kinn (One Fiinix Live), and more.

Topics for the Bridge debates will include AI, blockchain, emerging technologies, global market expansion, artist booking strategies, sustainability, and new models of fan engagement.

A major highlight of the Bridge programme will be the two-part Data vs. Gut series

Presented by Serbia’s EXIT Festival, Bridge is aiming to unite some of the sharpest minds in music and tech to forge groundbreaking collaborations and tackle critical industry challenges, to ensure a sustainable, innovative future.

A major highlight of the Bridge programme will be the two-part Data vs. Gut series, examining how the music industry navigates between instinct and statistics in critical decision-making. In Data vs. Gut 1: Navigating Analytics and Instinct in Artist Selection and Booking, European festival bookers and execs will explore how programming decisions are made in a world increasingly driven by data. The conversation will continues in Data vs. Gut 2: Navigating Analytics and Instinct in Artist Positioning and Market Penetration, where agency heavyweights will unpack the strategies behind building artists’ global trajectories.

Expanding the conversation into the digital frontier, Limitless Capacity: Unlocking Global Audiences Through Digital Worlds will uncover how virtual platforms are transforming fan engagement and global reach. Meanwhile Quantum Leap in Audience Growth Through AI & Data-Driven Marketing promises to offer insights into how festivals, managers, and artists can supercharge their reach and engagement.

Conference keynotes will feature ITB co-founder Barry Dickins, and FKP Scorpio chief Folkert Koopmans

The conference’s keynotes will allow delegates to tap into decades of industry wisdom, when legendary agent Barry Dickins (ITB) reflects on his six decades in the business in conversation with Greg Parmley, while FKP Scorpio’s Folkert Koopmans (FKP Scorpio) will unpack the journey behind building one of Europe’s biggest live music companies in an in-depth conversation with IQ Magazine’s James Drury.

Festival innovation will be a key theme throughout Bridge, with the Festival VR Experience Activation – an immersive showcase originally launched at Expo Dubai – kicking off the programme with EXIT Festival’s bold vision for the future of live events. And Matthew Hoag of Interstellar.plus will lead the panel The Next-Gen Festival: How AI and Emerging Tech Are Revolutionizing Live Music Experiences, featuring creative pioneers from Sila Sveta, Arcadia Spectacular, and Elrow.

Full details for the three-day event are available on the Bridge website, while a limited number of tickets, which include a free pass to the 22-25 May Sea Star Festival in nearby Umag, are also still available.

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