Eighth annual Ohio University Music Industry Summit to feature keynote artists Blood Orange, Lucius and The Crane Wives

The Ohio University Music Industry Summit will return for its eighth consecutive year featuring a diverse group of prominent artists and music industry professionals. The highly anticipated event is scheduled for April 14-16, 2026. The conference will take place in Athens, Ohio on OHIO’s main campus. A virtual-only option will be available to anyone free of charge with programming livestreams.

The Music Industry Summit (MIS) is the premier music industry conference in the Midwest and offers something for everyone: from seasoned industry professionals to high school students and everyone in between. Keynote artists for the conference include harmony-heavy folk-rock band The Crane Wives; singer, songwriter, producer and composer Blood Orange (Dev Hynes); and Grammy-nominated indie-pop band Lucius.

“I am very excited to have these artists share their experience both in the overall music industry as well as more specifically the current touring environment,” said Drew Holzapfel, executive director of the OHIO performing arts and concert series. “With distinctive artistry and bold creative vision, they inspire fellow musicians, industry figures, and fans around the world, and we’re eager for our community to engage with their performances and perspectives firsthand.”

Tuesday programming will include a ROAR Records in-store performance by Jake Ewald of Slaughter Beach, Dog and an exclusive panel with the creative design team behind the band Twenty One Pilots. Additional events on Tuesday, April 14, include the VisCom Focus gallery opening of “Twenty One Pilots: Seeing the Story,” a visual retrospective of the photography, videos and design capturing the world of the global chart-topping band and the MIS Happy Hour, sponsored by Jackie O’s. The Crane Wives will appear for a special performance at Templeton-Blackburn Memorial Auditorium. This is a separately ticketed event. To close out the first day, Thomas Golubić, music supervisor for Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Pluribus, The Walking Dead among many others, will be conducting and performing a live score in a joint event with the Athens International Film and Video Festival.

Day two of the Summit will feature a live performance by Space Kid in Baker University Center Theater at 6 p.m., along with music industry professionals and artists discussing a variety of topics throughout Wednesday’s programming. The Official Music Industry Summit Party, presented by Qobuz featuring a DJ set by J Rawls will take place at the Athens Armory/BlueDot Coworking after Wednesday’s programming. The Official Music Industry Summit Party is free and open to Summit registrants and the public. 

At the conclusion of the day’s programming on Thursday, April 16, StewMac, an Athens-based company specializing in the production of luthier tools, guitar parts and supplies, will open the doors to their historical building for the MIS Happy Hour and Jam Session. This is also a free event.  Following the happy hour, Lucius will perform the Closing Night Concert at Templeton-Blackburn Memorial Auditorium with their full band. This is a separately ticketed event. The Official MIS After Party presented by Ohio University's Women in the Music Industry will be held at The Union Bar following the concert and feature area bands.

Throughout the Summit on Wednesday and Thursday, Dolby will offer a can’t miss “Immersive Audio Studio Experience,” featuring exclusive listening sessions in state-of-the-art Dolby Atmos playback on a premium Adam Audio 7.1.4 speaker system. Hosted by Focusrite and Dolby, this space offers a rare opportunity to experience the depth and dimensionality of immersive audio in a calibrated listening environment. Attendees can listen to curated selections that demonstrate the creative possibilities of Dolby Atmos, from cinematic soundscapes to cutting-edge music productions. Focusrite and Dolby will also be hosting exclusive learning sessions with industry experts, covering the technical foundations of immersive audio, implementing creative workflows and the practical applications of modern immersive audio production.

“Each year our team puts a lot of thought and effort into making sure every Summit feels like a step forward, and I genuinely believe this year's program is our best lineup to date,” said Josh Antonuccio, director of the conference. “Our artist keynotes each represent a completely unique path through and within this industry, and our diversity and range of industry leaders offers invaluable insight and understanding of how to navigate the music industry. Along with our main stage interviews and panels, our menu of mentoring sessions, breakout workshops and networking events make this year’s programming an exceptional offering. It becomes clear why students and professionals alike keep coming back to Athens for this every year.”

In addition to the keynote artists, performances and other special events, in-depth interviews and panel discussions will be hosted throughout the three days of MIS covering a diverse range of artistic and business topics in the music industry. Conversations will include a roster of esteemed musicians and industry professionals, including:

• Jake Ewald, singer/songwriter best known as the frontman for Slaughter Beach, Dog
• Nabil Ayers, President, Beggars Group US
• Bob Boilen, Creator of Tiny Desk Concerts and All Songs Considered
• Erika Montes, Artist Advocate & Music Executive; Founder, 77th Wave
• *Tim Pattison, Sr. Director of Creative, BMI
• Thomas Golubić, Grammy Award-winning Music Supervisor at SuperMusicVision
• Frankie Pine, CEO and Music Supervisor, Whirly Girl Music, Inc.
• Adam Sensenbrenner, Caamp Manager, Mick Management
• Marcus J. Moore, Music Journalist, The New York Times
• *Ash M. Sheehan, Sr. Director of National Member Engagement, Recording Academy/GRAMMYs
• Jon Chinn, Director of Media Operations, Sony Music Entertainment
• *Alex Malcolm, Associate Director - Global Sync, Warner Music Group

       (* indicates Ohio University alumnus)

The Summit will also offer small group programming including breakout sessions and workshops which will provide attendees with a more intimate glimpse into the inner workings of various areas of the music industry. Breakout sessions and workshops will include sessions by OHIO alumni returning to campus to share their insider music industry knowledge.

“Ohio University’s Music Industry Summit reflects our commitment to connecting students with industry leaders and expanding opportunities for learning beyond the classroom,” said Lori Stewart Gonzalez, president of Ohio University. “By offering free attendance to all area college and high school students, educators, and Ohio University alumni, the Summit also demonstrates our dedication to making meaningful educational experiences accessible across southeast Ohio.”

The OHIO Music Industry Summit has become the largest music industry conference in the Midwest and was named one of the “7 Essential Music Conferences” by Soundfly, along with conferences, such as South by Southwest and Canadian Music Week. More than 4,000 people attended in-person and online events across last year’s programming.

"There’s so much to love about this event, but at the most basic level, it’s energizing and inspiring to get off our devices and have a shared human experience with incredibly talented, passionate people who are there to connect, be of service and soak up as much wisdom as they can get,” said Paul Benedict, director of Ohio University’s Center for Entrepreneurship. “Great music helps, too."

MIS will continue to be free for students and educators at any institution, as well as Ohio University alumni thanks in large part to the support of nearly 70 campus and industry sponsors including Haden DeRoberts Foundation, Revada Foundation, Shure and the Ohio Arts Council.

The registration fee for all other attendees starts at $75 for the entire three-day conference and will increase to $100 on March 21. On-site registration will be $125. Conference registration includes access to all primary programming and evening networking events, including the Official Music Industry Summit Party featuring J Rawls. Register here. All attendees will be required to purchase separate tickets for concerts at Memorial Auditorium. 

The Music Industry Summit is produced by the Scripps College of Communication and the School of Media Arts and Studies, the Chaddock + Morrow College of Fine Arts, Ohio University Performing Arts and Concert Series, the Center for Entrepreneurship and College of Business and the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service.

For more information on registering, the full schedule of events, speaker biographies and more, please visit https://www.ohio.edu/music-industry-summit.