The Most Wanted: Artist Academy is a comprehensive two-day professional development program designed to bridge the gap between artistic talent and industry success. As an integral expansion of MW:M Club Festival – the showcase format of Germany’s music capital – the Academy equips approximately 100 emerging artists and their teams with essential business skills, industry knowledge, and strategic networks needed to thrive in today’s rapidly evolving music landscape.
Through interactive formats including practical workshops, one-on-one mentorship sessions, curated matchmaking with industry professionals, and exclusive networking events, the Academy covers five core pillars: Creative Well-being & Sustainability, Digital Navigation & AI Integration, Entrepreneurial Skills, Industry Knowledge & Access, and Network Building & Collaboration. Participants gain direct access to A&R managers, bookers, label executives, and successful artists, creating opportunities for immediate feedback, potential collaborations, and long-term career development.
More than just education, the Academy creates a sustainable platform for career transformation that extends beyond the two-day event. By combining the showcase power of Most Wanted: Music Club Festival with comprehensive professional development, the program positions itself as an annual key event in the Berlin and European music market, strengthening both individual artist careers and the broader music ecosystem through strategic partnerships with European music export offices, educational institutions, and industry associations.
Artist Academy Sessions
Format
Language
Location
Vertical
Format
Language
Location
Vertical
Conference Track
Rewiring Classical Artistic Development
Classical musicians are trained for precision – but mastery doesn’t automatically create openness to uncertainty. What would change if artistic agency, not artistic selection, became the starting point of how artists are developed? Krisana Locke (somatic & tantric practitioner), Jürgen Grözinger (conductor & sound healer) and Anja Bien (CEO, Hamel Foundation) share insights from IMPROVISO, a research-based mentorship, improvisation and embodied agency.
Fireside Chat
🇬🇧 English
SOCIAL IMPACT
Social Transformation
Artist Academy
Speakers
-
Jürgen Grözinger
Moderators
Boris Tankilewitsch
Music Hall 4 – nhow Berlin
Nov 4, 2026,
12:10 –
13:00
The Independent Artist's Playbook: A Guide to Sustainable Career Planning
Today’s independent artists aren’t just visionaries, they are project managers, strategists, content creators and decision-makers. Designed as a focused 90-minute masterclass, this interactive session will explore practical self-management techniques to help musicians achieve clarity, structure and long-term success without burning out.
Participants will discover how to build a flexible network of sparring partners to exchange ideas with, as an alternative to traditional management. The workshop will also cover how artists can build a foundational identity and gain skills in realistic planning, accessing opportunities and establishing sustainable workflows. There will also be an exchange into how AI tools can support day-to-day operations.
Participants will discover how to build a flexible network of sparring partners to exchange ideas with, as an alternative to traditional management. The workshop will also cover how artists can build a foundational identity and gain skills in realistic planning, accessing opportunities and establishing sustainable workflows. There will also be an exchange into how AI tools can support day-to-day operations.
Workshop
🇬🇧 English
BUSINESS
Education & Skills
Artist Academy
Moderators
FLOSS
Julia Labonte-Stoy
Music Lounge 2 (8.OG) – nhow Berlin
Nov 4, 2026,
12:15 –
13:45
Wie Artists das richtige Support-System aufbauen
Eine nachhaltige Artist-Karriere entsteht selten allein, aber das richtige Team wächst nicht über Nacht. Dieser Artist Academy Fireside Chat schaut darauf, wie Künstler*innen ihr Support-System Schritt für Schritt verstehen, aufbauen und weiterentwickeln können.
Von Management, Booking und PR bis hin zu Labels, Distribution, Publishing und rechtlicher Unterstützung geht es darum, welche Rollen wann wichtig werden, wie Artists bessere Entscheidungen treffen und wie Partnerschaften entstehen, die langfristiges Wachstum unterstützen.
Von Management, Booking und PR bis hin zu Labels, Distribution, Publishing und rechtlicher Unterstützung geht es darum, welche Rollen wann wichtig werden, wie Artists bessere Entscheidungen treffen und wie Partnerschaften entstehen, die langfristiges Wachstum unterstützen.
Fireside Chat
🇩🇪 German
BUSINESS
Education & Skills
Artist Academy
Speakers
-
Sara Torchani
Moderators
Edith Löhle
Music Hall 4 – nhow Berlin
Nov 4, 2026,
13:20 –
14:10
From Prompt to Sold Out: Die Anatomie einer KI-gestützten Performance-Kampagne
Spontane Ticketkäufe, steigende Klickpreise und ständiger Content-Druck: Das Event-Marketing steht vor großen Hürden. KI eröffnet hier neue Wege: von der Zielgruppen-Analyse über KI-generierte Ads und Hook-Varianten bis zur optimalen Funnel-Architektur für hohe Conversions. Diese Session zeigt, was KI im Event-Marketing heute leistet, wo ihre Grenzen liegen und warum die menschliche Strategie am Ende den Ausschlag für einen ausverkauften Saal gibt.
Presentation
🇩🇪 German
NEXTTECH
Audience Experience
Convention
Speakers
-
Elisa Sophie Binhack
Soul – nhow Berlin
Nov 4, 2026,
13:45 –
14:15
Reading the Contract You Are About to Sign
Most artists sign their first label deal without reading it carefully: the terminology is dense, the implications are long-term and the asymmetry between a first-time artist and an experienced label is significant.
This workshop aims to close this gap. As part of ‘Reading the Contract You Are About to Sign’ a music lawyer will walk attendees through a redacted real-world label contract and explain every clause that matters. They will deep dive into all relevant details from term length, territory and royalty calculation to recoupment and advances and everything that lies in between.
This is a working session not a lecture so attendees should come equipped with questions and even a contract to work through with the lawyer in real time. Attendees can expect to leave with contract-reading vocabulary and a checklist they can apply the next time a deal arrives.
This workshop aims to close this gap. As part of ‘Reading the Contract You Are About to Sign’ a music lawyer will walk attendees through a redacted real-world label contract and explain every clause that matters. They will deep dive into all relevant details from term length, territory and royalty calculation to recoupment and advances and everything that lies in between.
This is a working session not a lecture so attendees should come equipped with questions and even a contract to work through with the lawyer in real time. Attendees can expect to leave with contract-reading vocabulary and a checklist they can apply the next time a deal arrives.
Workshop
🇬🇧 English
BUSINESS
Education & Skills
Artist Academy
Speakers
-
Mariia Saveleva
Music Lounge 2 (8.OG) – nhow Berlin
Nov 4, 2026,
14:10 –
15:40
The Human Behind the Artist: Supporting Artists Through Crisis and Change
A 2026 survey of more than 2,000 independent artists and industry professionals found that 86% report significant mental strain or creative burnout. Behind that number sit people expected to keep creating, touring, promoting and staying visible while carrying personal crises, mental health challenges, grief, displacement or the weight of conflict elsewhere in the world.
The question this session asks is what the people around them do about it. Managers, agents and promoters shape an artist’s calendar, workload and exposure, and those decisions are where empathy either exists in practice or does not. It also asks what the dancefloor itself already provides, since community and care have been part of rave culture far longer than the industry has had language for either. As we are heading to an age shaped by AI, emotional intelligence remains one of our most valuable human strengths.
The question this session asks is what the people around them do about it. Managers, agents and promoters shape an artist’s calendar, workload and exposure, and those decisions are where empathy either exists in practice or does not. It also asks what the dancefloor itself already provides, since community and care have been part of rave culture far longer than the industry has had language for either. As we are heading to an age shaped by AI, emotional intelligence remains one of our most valuable human strengths.
Fishbowl
🇬🇧 English
SOCIAL IMPACT
Artist Wellbeing
Artist Academy
Speakers
-
Roya Firoozbakhsh -
Sofia Ilyas -
Katty Lange
Moderators
Qeas Pirzad
Music Hall 4 – nhow Berlin
Nov 4, 2026,
14:30 –
15:20
Building A Music Startup With Public Money
What if public funding could help turn your music idea into a real startup? In this practical session, Robert Schmidt will deep dive into the often intimidating and complex world of artistic funding. Robert will share insights into how public money works and will also present clear guidelines for creatives who are looking to access funding opportunities.
Public funding can function as a lifeline for many artists, so this workshop is crucial for anyone who wants to understand how to shape ideas, find the right programs and turn funding into a launchpad for their music business.
Public funding can function as a lifeline for many artists, so this workshop is crucial for anyone who wants to understand how to shape ideas, find the right programs and turn funding into a launchpad for their music business.
Workshop
🇬🇧 English
BUSINESS
Funding Innovation
Convention
Moderators
Robert Schmidt
Soul – nhow Berlin
Nov 4, 2026,
14:45 –
15:15
Know Your Worth: Money, Fees and Artist Negotiations
Talking about money is part of building a sustainable artist career and in this vein, the Artist Academy is offering emerging artists practical tools that will help them understand fees, calculate their work, respond to unpaid or low-paid offers and negotiate with more clarity.
The session will explore how artists can communicate their value professionally, set boundaries and make better decisions around budgets, exposure, invoices and opportunities.
The session will explore how artists can communicate their value professionally, set boundaries and make better decisions around budgets, exposure, invoices and opportunities.
AMA
🇬🇧 English
BUSINESS
Education & Skills
Artist Academy
Moderators
Samira Wacker
BPM Bar – nhow Berlin
Nov 4, 2026,
15:35 –
16:35
The Essential Role of a Booking Agent in an Artist’s Career
Booking agents in electronic music act as the key link between artists and live performance opportunities. They secure gigs by negotiating contracts, coordinating logistics like travel and technical needs and maintaining strong relationships with promoters, venues, and managers. Beyond booking, agents help build artists’ careers by strategically planning tours and promoting them to the right audiences. Their work allows artists to focus on performing while agents handle the complex organisational and business side of live shows. Learn how booking agents work, what their tasks include, when an artist should apply to join an agency, and what benefits can be gained from this partnership.
Fishbowl
🇬🇧 English
BUSINESS
Global Market Access
Artist Academy
Speakers
-
Alma Ernst - Roya Firoozbakhsh
-
Alexandra Hale -
Michael Müller
Moderators
Felton Cortijo
Music Hall 4 – nhow Berlin
Nov 4, 2026,
15:40 –
16:30
Beyond Streaming: How Musicians Build Income With Their Fans
Streaming platforms profit from the value artists create, but rarely share it back. This workshop reframes fanfunding as a rewiring of this relationship: instead of routing value through platforms and algorithms, it moves money directly to the people who create it. Startnext CEO Denis Bartelt shares real campaign examples and the concrete first steps to build income directly with fans.
Keynote
🇩🇪 German
BUSINESS
Funding Innovation
Convention
Moderators
Denis Bartelt
Soul – nhow Berlin
Nov 4, 2026,
15:45 –
16:15
Who Gets Funded? Rethinking Access and Sustainability in Music Support
Funding can open important doors in the music industry, but access to support is not equally distributed. Application language, networks, time, knowledge and complex requirements shape who feels able to apply, who receives support and whose ideas remain unseen.
Co-curated with Musicboard Berlin, this session explores how funding structures can become more accessible, transparent and sustainable for artists, initiatives, clubs, labels and independent professionals. Rather than focusing only on short-term project funding, the conversation asks how support can strengthen long-term artistic development, participation and resilient music ecosystems.
Co-curated with Musicboard Berlin, this session explores how funding structures can become more accessible, transparent and sustainable for artists, initiatives, clubs, labels and independent professionals. Rather than focusing only on short-term project funding, the conversation asks how support can strengthen long-term artistic development, participation and resilient music ecosystems.
Fishbowl
🇬🇧 English / 🇩🇪 German
SCENE
Cultural Preservation
Artist Academy
Speakers
-
Melike Öztürk -
Marit Posch
Moderators
Lisa Nehrkorn
Music Hall 4 – nhow Berlin
Nov 5, 2026,
12:10 –
13:00
Artist Eco-Rider 2.0
An artist’s career still heavily relies on a robust touring schedule which makes the road, airport and greenroom default office environments. How can one solidly voice their environmental & health preferences in such instances? How can artists play a part in building a more environmentally resilient future for themselves and the wider scene? This workshop, led by Bye Bye Plastic, will walk participants through some of the creative questions and answers surrounding this topic, hoping to inspire them to take a leap and lead by example.
Workshop
🇬🇧 English
SOCIAL IMPACT
Sustainable Practices
Artist Academy
Moderators
Camille Guitteau
Music Lounge 2 (8.OG) – nhow Berlin
Nov 5, 2026,
12:15 –
13:45
Fair Pay im Streaming: Was muss Kulturpolitik jetzt liefern?
Streaming ist längst ein zentraler Teil der Musikwirtschaft doch viele Musikschaffende profitieren noch immer nicht fair von den Erlösen. Gleichzeitig ist Bewegung in die politische Debatte gekommen: Es geht um Transparenz, faire Vergütungsmodelle, Plattformmacht, Streaming-Fraud, KI und die Frage, wie Musiker*innen stärker in Entscheidungen eingebunden werden.
Diese Session fragt nicht nur, was im Streaming schiefläuft, sondern was jetzt konkret folgen muss. Welche politischen Schritte braucht es? Welche Verantwortung tragen Plattformen, Labels, Verbände und Kulturpolitik? Und wie kann faire Beteiligung im digitalen Musikmarkt verbindlicher gestaltet werden?
Diese Session fragt nicht nur, was im Streaming schiefläuft, sondern was jetzt konkret folgen muss. Welche politischen Schritte braucht es? Welche Verantwortung tragen Plattformen, Labels, Verbände und Kulturpolitik? Und wie kann faire Beteiligung im digitalen Musikmarkt verbindlicher gestaltet werden?
Panel Discussion
🇩🇪 German
BUSINESS
Modern Monetization
Convention
Speakers
-
Michael Duderstädt -
Mario Graute -
Matthias Hornschuh
Moderators
Sandra Gern
Music Hall 1 – nhow Berlin
Nov 5, 2026,
12:25 –
13:15
What's against silence?
Nearly 20% of the world’s population is d/Deaf or Hard of Hearing. Speech-to-text functions are built into almost every pocket-sized device, automatic live captions are increasingly accurate, and auto-generated subtitles have become a content producer’s signature on social media. Yet no services describe live sound or music. This session will explore Spell, a tool that is aiming to close this gap by generating real-time closed captions and visualisations of live audio. Spell is a tool for normalising inclusion and access needs, which uses an AI supported prompter to make visual sound a possibility on every stage: for lyrics, speech, live captions, sign language prompts, and visual translations of incoming sound streams. The session will demonstrate how Spell, which not only captions language but also describes and translates any incoming live sound stream, will challenge audism in the music industry.
Performance
🇬🇧 English
SOCIAL IMPACT
Inclusive Industry
Hybrid Music Lab
Speakers
-
Saverio Cantoni
Gallery (Raum 1) – nhow Berlin
Nov 5, 2026,
13:00 –
13:20
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