A Triumphant Eighth Edition for AVA London
Celebrating Innovation in Music, Culture & Visual Arts for thousands of attendees across all events

AVA London returned for its eighth year, gathering thousands of leading artists, creators, thought leaders, industry professionals & fans across three dynamic days of conferencing, cutting-edge live music events and global debuts. AVA delivered a hybrid programme of keynotes, industry forums, masterclasses, and raves beyond boundaries.

Quotes from Speakers
“Superserve your superfans” – Tom Schroeder on The Game Changers

“Queer is an orientation and a political practice that extends beyond dancefloors” – I.JORDAN on Re-queering Dancefloors

“Born Slippy is the name of a racing dog from Romford Stadium” —Karl Hyde on 30 years of the timeless Underworld anthem

“Compartmentalisation is Key: the things you can get done while they’re having a nap: it feels like a superpower”— Jayda G on balancing motherhood with music
“I’m trying to hit this perfect arc of being hot and not an idiot anymore” – FKA twigs

“The sharp programming at AVA Conference and the network it naturally attracts is unlike anything else in the UK. I caught up with – and met – brilliant people from every part of my world: artists, senior industry figures across multiple disciplines, creatives, labels, platforms, brands and more. From emerging voices to major players, the mix of speakers and delegates was spot on. The setting across the British Library and The Standard made it easy to have proper conversations. It didn’t feel like work – just excellent conversations, clear perspectives, and the right people.” – Toshiki Ohta, Consultant, Stajio O

Thursday Highlights
Underworld opened AVA with an inspiring keynote reflecting on 30 years of Born Slippy, setting the tone for a weekend of thought-provoking discussions.

FKA twigs joined Resident Advisor for a live Exchange, offering insight into her creative evolution, while Annie Mac and Jayda G explored the intersection of motherhood and artistic identity. Munroe Bergdorf led Re-queering Dancefloors, a powerful conversation on gender, identity, and reclaiming spaces in electronic music.

Jarvis Cocker delivered Biophobia, a lecture on overcoming his fear of nature co-presented with EarthPercent, bringing a unique perspective to the programme.

The Game Changers panel spotlighted industry disruptors, including Zeon Richards, Tom Schroder, Munroe Bergdorf, and Maria May. MUBI’s panel, Music’s Leading Role in Film, featured Raffertie (The Substance), Lucy Bright (Aftersun), and Naqqash Khalid (In Camera), exploring the crucial role of music in storytelling.

Thursday @ Earth Hackney – Erika de Casier, Kojaque & Mechatok delivered intimate, genre-blending live performances – and a global show debut from Mechatok.

Friday Highlights
Emerald hosted a panel on the Future of Music & Clubbing, featuring industry leaders from fabric, FOLD (London), Tresor (Berlin), the London Nightlife Taskforce, and BBC Radio 1, exploring the evolving landscape of nightlife.

Dan Lambert (Kneecap Manager) and Kneecap film director Rich Peppiatt discussed the challenges and triumphs of managing Kneecap, one of today’s most unique and unpredictable musical acts. Meanwhile, horsegiirL sat down with Gay Times for a deep dive into identity, self-expression, and anonymity.

NONOTAK and Yinka Ilori explored pushing the boundaries of visual languages in separate sessions, while cultural leaders from ICA London, Barbican, Serpentine, and House of Dread shared insights on curating contemporary culture. Major League DJz examined Amapiano’s rise to global success through social media, joined by TikTok’s Toyin Mustapha.

Ned Beckett (LittleBig Agency) provided key insights into talent discovery and artist development, and No Tags podcast (Chal Ravens & Tom Lea) recorded a live episode with special guest Paul Woolford. Lorenzo Senni hosted an extended masterclass, The Architecture of Intensity, dissecting his creative process.

Marcel Dettmann sat for an exclusive interview about his new live project, My Own Shadow which had it’s global debut at AVA London alongside Ryoji Ikeda’s immersive live AV show at HERE at Outernet.

Ryoji Ikeda, Marcel Dettmann & EMA took over HERE at Outernet on Friday night with experimental soundscapes, techno and ambient mastery. Alongside the global debut of Dettmann’s ‘My Own Shadow’ Live project.

AVA curated high-energy finale with Origins at The Cause on Saturday with X CLUB, LSDXOXO, Juicy Romance, Body Clinic, Marion Hawkes & Inside Moves closing the weekend with a bang.

AVA BELFAST – UP NEXT
AVA’s flagship event in Belfast is just over two months away – a celebration of music, & audio-visual arts, culture & community in the heart of the city’s docklands. The 11th edition will host over 10,000 guests with more than 70 local and international artists and hundreds of local creatives. Community is at the core of AVA’s values, which is more important today than ever. AVA uses its platform to unite audiences, artists and friends from around the globe.

Taking place 30th – 31st of May 2025 at the Titanic Slipways, AVA Belfast enters a new era of innovation for 2025. Festival tickets available HERE