From Ibiza to Berlin: Australian music publishers step into global music rights conversations
Fourteen Australian music publishers will attend some of the world’s leading music industry conferences in 2026 through support from the Music Australia International Conference Contribution (MAICC) program.
The initiative reflects the growing international engagement of Australian music publishers as they expand relationships with global rights organisations, licensing partners and creative markets.
The latest round of funding will see publishers participate in major international gatherings including IMS Ibiza, Classical:NEXT in Budapest, A2IM Indie Week in New York, the IMPF Global Music Summit in Spain, Amsterdam Dance Event, All That Matters in Singapore, WOMEX and ICMP Music Minds Berlin.
AMPAL CEO Damian Rinaldi said international engagement remains critical for the region’s music publishing sector.
“International conferences provide essential opportunities for Australian publishers to build relationships, develop licensing partnerships and ensure our repertoire is represented in global markets.
Programs like MAICC help ensure our sector is present in key international conversations around music rights, licensing and the future of music publishing.”
Many of the supported conferences focus specifically on global music rights, licensing frameworks and industry policy, underscoring the growing importance of international collaboration for the publishing sector.
European events dominate the calendar, with publishers attending gatherings in Budapest, Ibiza, Berlin, Spain and Amsterdam, reinforcing Europe’s role as a major hub for music publishing and rights management.
Independent publishing businesses are strongly represented among the successful applicants, with recipients spanning companies including Liquorice, Sweat It Out, Peppermintblue, ORiGiN, GYRO, The Music Soups and Sunset Club Music, alongside established global publishers.
Recipients will attend conferences across Asia, Europe and North America throughout 2026, expanding international networks and strengthening the global presence of Australian music publishing.
MAICC 2026 Round 2 by the numbers
14 music publishers supported
3 continents represented - Asia, Europe and North America
6 European industry gatherings attended
9 conferences focused on music rights, music publishing or licensing
Independent music publishers strongly represented across the cohort
MAICC 2026 Round 2 – Successful Applicants (in Conference Date Order)
Tanja Aafos - WISE Music - Asia Pacific Region Orchestra Summit - Japan - 30 March-1 April
Isabella Brown - WISE Music - Classical:NEXT 2026 - Budapest - 8-11 April
Patrick “Smiley” Cleary - Peppermintblue - IMS (International Music Summit) 2026 - Ibiza - 22-24 April
Frank Rodi - Alchemy - IMS (International Music Summit) 2026 - Ibiza - 22-24 April
Karen Hamilton - 120 Publishing - IMS (International Music Summit) 2026 - Ibiza - 22-24 April
Art Phillips - 101 Music - IPMG Spring Event + ICMP Music Minds - Berlin - 26-28 May
Dan Gibson - GYRO - A2IM Indie Week 2026 - New York - 8-11 June
Emily Norton - The Music Soups - All That Matters - Singapore - 2–7 October
Evan Buist - Melodie - PMA Conference 2026 - USA - 6-8 October
Philip Mortlock - ORiGiN - IMPF Global Music Summit 2026 - Spain - 6-9 October
Erol Yurdagul - Mushroom Music Publishing - IMPF Global Music Summit 2026 - Spain - 6-9 October
Alexander Franco - Liquorice - ADE 2026 - Netherlands - 21-25 October
Kristy Lee Peters - Sweat It Out - ADE 2026 - Netherlands - 21-25 October
Adam Dunning - Sunset Club Music - WOMEX 2026 - 21-25 October
This project is assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia.