Apply to present at MW:M Research 2026 — 4 November, nhow Berlin. Deadlines: 13 July (abstracts & demos), 3 August (full papers).
MW:M Research is the academic track of MW:M26. It’s a dedicated day where researchers, creators, practitioners, and the music industry meet on equal terms.
It features academic presentations, artistic research works, demos and installations, workshops, as well as discursive and interactive formats. A highlight is always the yearly Best Paper Award by GMM (Gesellschaft für Musikwirtschafts- und Musikkulturforschung), a major partner and founding member of the Berlin Music Commission.
In 2026, MW:M Research adapts the conference theme Rewire! by connecting academic and industry circuits via an integrative understanding of “research” with a curious mindset beyond academia.
Who this call is for
This call is for you if your work fits one of our four thematic strands:
- Music Business — digital business models, funding strategies, promotion tools, artist management, music rights, sustainable ecosystem frameworks
- Music Cultures & Events — genre research, festival studies, event market analysis, music cognition and psychology, wellbeing, artistic research
- Music Tech — new instruments and interfaces, immersive media (VR, metaverse, 3D audio), AI and computational creativity, networked music
- Music Education & Social Impact — K12 to lifelong learning, EdTech, inclusive practice, music and health, community music, cultural dialogue
And you’re one of these (or something adjacent):
- Academic researcher — university, industry think tank, or independent
- PhD candidate with work that deserves an industry audience
- Practitioner with a paper in the drawer — streaming analyst, publishing strategist, creator-economy expert
- EdTech founder, instrument builder, or creative technologist
- Music technologist with a prototype for immersive media, AI-native production, or new interfaces
- Artistic researcher or performer with research-related artworks
- Or anyone whose research has implications for how music actually works
Bring the format that fits your work best:
- Scientific presentations
- Full papers (optional)
- Instrument and tech demos
- Audiovisual performances
- Artistic installations
- Workshops
- Discussions or interactive formats
What you get as a Research presenter
- A slot on the MW:M Research programme on 4 November 2026; talk, paper presentation, or demo
- Free conference registration for MW:M26
- Publication opportunities
- An industry audience: your work meets the people actually shaping how the music economy works
How it works
Submit your proposal by the applicable deadline: 13 July 2026 for abstracts, demos, and audiovisual or workshop formats; 3 August 2026 for full papers (maximum of 5k words). Our curatorial team, together with reviewers from our university network, reviews all submissions. We get back to you with a decision by the end of August. If accepted, we work with you on session format, presentation timing, and technical setup.
Deadline and key dates
- Abstracts for paper talks, tech demos, audiovisual performances, and workshops: 13 July 2026
- Full papers: 3 August 2026
- Author notifications: 31 August 2026
- MW:M Research takes place: 4 November 2026 at nhow Berlin