INTERNATIONAL MUSIC INDUSTRY DELEGATES TO DESCEND ON GOLD COAST AS QMUSIC OPENS DOORS TO GLOBAL MARKETS
Photo: BIGSOUND 2025 First World One Brilliant Thing
Queensland’s music industry is set to strengthen its international connections this month, with QMusic bringing music industry delegates from the UK and Canada to the Gold Coast ahead of BIGSOUND 2026.
The international delegation will take part in a three-day Gold Coast program from 28–30 August, hosted by the City of Gold Coast in partnership with QMusic, before travelling to Brisbane for BIGSOUND from 1 to 4 September.
The program has been designed to give international music businesses a first-hand look at the Gold Coast’s growing music ecosystem, while creating opportunities for local artists, managers, labels, publishers and music industry professionals to build relationships and explore new business opportunities with international counterparts.
The confirmed delegation includes artists, artist managers, booking agents, music executives and industry representatives from organisations including CIMA, Music Managers Forum Canada, BPI, MassiveMusic, Leaf Creative and NCS, with further delegates expected to join the program.
Delegates will experience the Gold Coast’s music infrastructure and key cultural precincts, including a venue and infrastructure familiarisation tour, while taking part in facilitated B2B meetings with Gold Coast artists, managers, labels, publishers and music industry professionals.
The program will also showcase the Gold Coast as a destination for live music, touring and music business, with delegates attending a Mayor’s Welcome Reception hosted by Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate, alongside optional cultural and sporting experiences including the Gold Coast Titans’ NRL match against the South Sydney Rabbitohs and a performance by Melbourne indie folk duo Pierce Brothers at Miami Marketta.
“We’re rolling out the red carpet to showcase our city’s live music scene and supporting infrastructure,’’ said Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate.
“Hosting delegates from Canada and the UK underscores our partnership approach to supporting the live music sector, not only on the Gold Coast but across southeast Queensland.
“For a city of 700,000 residents, we have some fantastic live music venues and cultural precincts.
Importantly, we have a blueprint to further expand the live music industry including a $25 million investment in the new Gold Coast Music Hall in the heart of Surfers Paradise.”
QMusic CEO Kristy Ellis said the mission would create valuable opportunities for Queensland’s music industry to build international relationships that extend well beyond BIGSOUND.
“Canada is BIGSOUND’s Featured Guest Country this year, while the UK delegation forms part of a broader Australia Music Mission, so we have an incredible opportunity to deepen our connections with two important international music markets.
“For QMusic, this is exactly what our role is about, connecting Queensland’s music industry to the world and making sure the talent and businesses here have the relationships, networks and opportunities they need to grow internationally,” she said.
The UK delegation forms part of the wider Australia Music Mission, led by the UK Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and British Phonographic Industry (BPI), running from 28 August to 5 September and spanning the Gold Coast, Brisbane and BIGSOUND.
Chris Tams, Director of Membership & International at BPI, said “Australia and the UK share an incredibly deep and prosperous cultural connection and shared history, and the region remains one of the most important markets for British artists globally.
“Together with our partners at the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, we’re delighted to be bringing our delegation of music businesses to further strengthen this connection at BIGSOUND 2026, one of the jewels in the crown of Queensland’s dynamic music industry.”
“Queensland has an extraordinary music community, and BIGSOUND gives us a unique opportunity to put that community in front of the world. But the real value comes from creating meaningful connections that extend beyond the festival itself,” Ms Ellis said.
“This trade mission is about bringing international music businesses into Queensland, showing them what our industry has to offer and creating the conditions for relationships that can translate into new opportunities for Queensland artists and music businesses.
“We’re welcoming artists, managers, labels, publishers and other music industry professionals from the UK and Canada to the Gold Coast, where they’ll meet directly with local industry, experience our live music infrastructure and get a first-hand understanding of Queensland as a place to do business, tour and collaborate.
Canada will have a particularly strong presence at BIGSOUND 2026 as the event’s Featured Guest Country, with QMusic delivering a dedicated Canada program in partnership with the Consulate General of Canada in Sydney.
Consul General of Canada in Sydney, Ghislain Robichaud, said BIGSOUND provided an ideal platform to strengthen connections between the Canadian and Australian music industries.
“Australia and Canada share creative strengths, deep synergies and a history of cultural exchange. These connections create fertile ground for partnership and collaboration.
“This mission exemplifies Canada’s commitment to trade diversification and to supporting the global reach of our creative industries,” Mr Robichaud said.
The international delegation will transfer to Brisbane on Sunday 30 August ahead of BIGSOUND, where UK and Canadian delegates will join thousands of music industry professionals from around the world for Australia’s leading music industry conference and showcase festival.
During BIGSOUND week, the Canadian delegation will take part in Spotlight on Canada, a dedicated panel and mixer on Thursday 3 September, while a UK program will also form part of the conference week.
QMusic’s international program forms part of its ongoing work to connect Queensland’s music industry with global markets and create opportunities for Queensland artists and music businesses to grow their audiences, networks and export potential.
