Confluence Music Industry Conference + Festival

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Confluence Music Industry Conference + Festival

The Carolinas' Music Industry Conference + Festival October 9-11, 2024 at AvidXchange Music Factory, Charlotte, NC

05/09/2026

🚨 Carolina artists: Apply now and be part of Confluence 2026.

If you’re looking to get your music in front of the people helping shape the Carolina music scene, this is the room to be in.

We’re bringing together local, regional, and national music industry leaders, talent buyers, media, and fans for three nights of live music across multiple venues.

🎶 All genres welcome
📍 Open to artists based in North Carolina & South Carolina
🗓 Showcase dates: Oct. 8–10, 2026
⏰ Deadline to apply: May 13, 2026
💵 Paid showcase opportunity

All applicants — even if not selected — will be invited to attend Confluence 2026 and receive up to 5 complimentary all-access badges for band members.

Learn more and apply at confluencecarolinas.com (link in bio).

05/07/2026

More than a conference, bigger than the music. Confluence is where artists, industry professionals, and creatives come together to connect, learn, collaborate, discover new music, and dive into the ideas, technology, and trends shaping the future of music.

Leave with new ideas, new collaborators, and relationships built beyond a LinkedIn add or Instagram follow.

Passes on sale soon. 🎶

04/27/2026

💥 Calling all Carolina-based talent! Showcase applications are now live!

Confluence will include three nights (Oct. 8-10) of showcase sets 🎶 in multiple venues around Charlotte. These are paid opportunities open to artists or groups based in N.C. or S.C.

The goal of the sets is to highlight great original music from local artists. Artists or groups must be able to perform a full set of original music.

ℹ️ If you’re interested in performing, learn more and apply here: https://charlottecentercity.slideroom.com/ #/login/program/88774 Application fees apply.

04/22/2026

📣We’re excited to officially announce the dates for this year’s Confluence.
Join us October 7–9 for the conference, with shows running October 8–10.

Passes go on sale next month. Email subscribers will be first to know, and first to access our best pricing.

Don’t get the Confluence email? Sign up at the link in our bio.

More details (including big Saturday plans 👀) coming soon.

04/07/2026

Details coming soon…..

02/03/2026

We’re officially seeking mission-aligned sponsors for Confluence 2026 🚀

Confluence is more than a conference, it’s a movement. It’s a gathering of the creators, innovators, and decision-makers shaping the future of the Southeast’s music industry.

By partnering with us, your brand becomes part of a regional music ecosystem that is scaling in visibility, influence, and opportunity.
If your brand believes in community, creativity, and long-term impact, let’s talk.
🎶 Visibility
🤝 Connection
🔥 Activation
📈 Growth

Join the movement.
👉 confluencecarolinas.com/partner

01/15/2026

Today, we spent the day at in (say it with us) Saxapahaw. What a special place! We can’t wait to get back here for a show.

The reason for our visit? The first-ever retreat for the new Carolinas chapter. Reps from more than 20 indie venues across N.C. (plus one venue in S.C.—shoutout ) gathered to discuss an advocacy agenda, share ideas and best practices, and build community. Over lunch, leaders from , , , and joined to listen and share how they are working to support and advance music in the state. We also heard from Zoom guests Stephen Parker of , of Cleveland Music Association, and of the Texas Music Office.

What an inspiring day!

The coolest part? The idea for this gathering came at Confluence 2025, where several venue owners held a meetup to talk about how to get better organized (last slide).

That’s what Confluence is for—fostering the creative collaborations that can only come from IRL connections. (That, and great music, killer speakers, and all the fam vibes.)

We can’t wait to see what NIVA Carolinas gets done, and we look forward to the group reconvening at Confluence 2026 this October.

(Srsly go see a show at Haw River Ballroom.)

Are you an indie venue in NC or SC? Want to get involved in NIVA Carolinas? Comment “indie venue”👇🏽 and we’ll make the connect.

12/17/2025

Last week we got to attend a taping of PBS NC’s Shaped by Sound and it has us stoked for season 2 🎶

The featured artist was the band Wednesday (). The Asheville band’s knockout new record “Bleeds” is on about every year-end top album list. Wednesday has a 90s indie (Sonic Youth) meets 90s alt-country (Whiskeytown) vibe updated for 2025. Big year ahead for them — trust us.

Shaped by Sound (supported by Come Hear NC + the NC Music Office — big Confluence supporters) celebrates North Carolina artists across genres. Season 1 featured Confluence alums, and season 2 drops in early 2026.

The show gives same feels that we hope Confluence elicits—that we are all in this together and even though we all sound different, together it’s a beautiful noise. That North Carolina music is an unmistakable blend of the traditional and the new, story-driven and shaped by our history, diversity, and geography. It’s also a reminder of what only public television can make.

What NC artists should we be paying attention to next? 👀🎤

12/09/2025

Confluence 2025 team recap ✔️ Now it’s your turn — time to start building what’s next, with you. 🚀

We want your ideas! 💡 What topics, speakers, big ideas should be part of the next Confluence? Drop them below.

Meet the Conflunce Programming Committee:
• Liz Brigham,
• Mark Eckert,
• Brandon Thomas,
• Rick Thurmond, Center City Partners +
• Taylor Wi******er, + .ee
• Casey Wilson,

12/04/2025

Relive the Confluence Conference! ⚡️ This year’s conference featured 58 speakers with industry powerhouses from across the nation.

Visit confluencecarolinas.com to view more! (Link in bio)

Photography by:

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Charlotte, NC

Website

http://www.confluencecarolinas.com/

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