Winter Music Conference WMC 2026 Announces First Wave of Programming

Winter Music Conference WMC 2026 has announced its first wave of programming, confirming its return to Miami from Tuesday, March 24 to Thursday, March 26, 2026, at the Kimpton EPIC Hotel in Downtown Miami.

As the world’s longest-running electronic music conference, Winter Music Conference WMC 2026 marks a decisive step in the event’s modern evolution while reaffirming its role at the centre of Miami Music Week.

Winter Music Conference WMC 2026 operates under the ownership of ULTRA Worldwide, which acquired the conference and the International Dance Music Awards in 2018. The 2026 edition is being delivered operationally by We Group, a London-born production and operations collective with teams in London and Miami, responsible for event delivery, licensing, health and safety, and large-scale production. Together, ULTRA Worldwide and We Group continue to reposition Winter Music Conference WMC 2026 as an industry-focused platform built around education, innovation, and professional development.

The 36th edition of Winter Music Conference WMC 2026 builds on its revitalised foundation at the Kimpton EPIC Hotel, the Official Miami Music Week Hotel. The newly announced programming reflects the conference’s most ambitious structure in over a decade, with expanded educational tracks, new delegate spaces, live activations, and technology-driven showcases.

Education remains central to Winter Music Conference WMC 2026, with programming divided into two dedicated tracks: WMC // Industry and WMC // Creators. Across panels, keynotes, and discussions, the conference will address the realities shaping today’s electronic music ecosystem, including artist sustainability, audience ownership, AI and streaming economics, physical media, bass music culture, and the evolving role of DJs within global music and brand ecosystems. The first wave of speakers includes representatives from Beatport, Create Music Group, L-Acoustics, Prodigy Artists, AlphaTheta, Discogs, AFEM, and more, with further announcements scheduled through February.

Alongside panel programming, Winter Music Conference WMC 2026 expands its workshop offering with smaller, skills-based sessions focused on applied learning. These sessions are designed to provide practical tools across event production, studio workflows, scoring for film and television, and the real-world application of emerging music technologies.

A key new feature of Winter Music Conference WMC 2026 is the launch of the A&R Pop-Up Lounge, delivered in partnership with Label Radar. Located inside the Gear Exhibition Room, the lounge creates direct, in-person access between artists and label teams. Badge holders will be able to submit USB demos directly to participating labels during curated meet-and-greet sessions. Early confirmed participants include Ultra Records, Experts Only, Dirty Workz, and multiple Create Music Group imprints, positioning the lounge as one of the most tangible career-facing activations of Miami Music Week.

Live programming at Winter Music Conference WMC 2026 is anchored by a three-day Beatport Live pool party series, running from Tuesday through Thursday on the Kimpton EPIC pool deck overlooking Biscayne Bay. Produced with leading audio and technology partners, the daytime events are designed as a focal point for networking, discovery, and performance during the conference, with label showcases and artist lineups to be announced.

Technology and innovation are further highlighted through the expanded Gear Exhibition Room at Winter Music Conference WMC 2026. Delegates will have hands-on access to new DJ and production tools, immersive audio demonstrations, and next-generation sound systems presented through live demos and showcases across the conference.

Winter Music Conference WMC 2026 also confirms the return of the International Dance Music Awards, reuniting the awards with their original home. First launched at Winter Music Conference in 1985, the IDMAs return in partnership with Bridges for Music, reinforcing a shared legacy rooted in recognition, education, and global community impact within electronic music.

With badges now on sale and discounted hotel rooms available at the Kimpton EPIC, Winter Music Conference WMC 2026 positions itself as a renewed focal point for electronic music, technology, and culture.

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