Music, Money, and Moral Lines
Conference
Music, Money, and Moral Lines
Speakers: Dan Lambert (Manager, Kneecap), Henk Willem Smits (Journalist, Follow the Money), Ellen Evers (Festival Director, DGTL).
Moderator: Ruth Daniel
When festivals become entangled in global controversies, silence is no longer an option. This session explores the growing pressure on the music industry to take a stand on corporate ethics, investment ties, and geopolitical injustices.
What is this program about?
As geopolitical tensions rise and public scrutiny intensifies, festivals are increasingly held accountable for the financial ecosystems they inhabit. What happens when the media connects your festival to human rights violations, artists withdraw in (silence) protest or use their power of speech on stage for Palestine? How do you prevent human rights risks in your supply chain? This session spotlights the ethical crossroads where music, money, and political voice meet.
Who is this program for?
This session is tailored towards event professionals, artists, industry executives, and media makers navigating ethics, identity, and activism in today’s music landscape. This program is part of ADE Green, and can be accessed with an ADE Pro Pass or ADE Green Day Pass.
Conference FAQ
We do not sell ADE Conference only or Day Passes. The only way to get access to the ADE Pro Conference is the ADE Pro Pass.
Tickets for the specialist sessions, such as ADE Lab and ADE Green can be found on the ticket page closer to the date of ADE 2026.
✓ Valid all five days
ADE Pro conference takes place from Wednesday through Saturday, but the ADE Pro Pass benefits go well beyond those four days. The ticket grants access to ADE’s full offering, including all conference programs as well as all ADE Festival and Arts & Culture events* — read on below to get an impression of everything included with your ADE Pro Pass.
✓ Full access to all conference keynotes, panels and locations
ADE Pro is the ultimate business and inspiration gathering for the electronic music industry. The four-day conference returns to live action at our iconic home base Felix Meritis and features dedicated programming at the forefront of our industry. In addition, ADE will also continue to host conference programs dedicated to young creators and aspiring professionals.
✓ Year round access to ADE Pro's networking platform & database
Get a head start on connecting with fellow music professionals and companies with the ADE Pro networking database, available throughout the year. The online networking tool enables you to find and connect with all ADE Pro delegates, showcase your business with a dedicated profile page, plan meetings during ADE and much more. Over 50.000 messages are being sent on the platform yearly, with new professional connections being made on the regular.
✓ Join dedicated networking events and sessions
With over 9.000 music professionals from around the globe gathering in Amsterdam, you’re almost guaranteed to find who you need. An abundance of networking events and opportunities with fellow ADE delegates and industry leaders provides an advantageous base for dealmaking and career advancement.
✓ Access to all official Business Hubs
Whether you’re planning a meeting with fellow delegates, looking for a comfortable spot to work or simply want to hang out between conference events, your ADE Pro Pass grants access to all of ADE’s official Business Hubs.
✓ Access to the complete ADE Festival and Arts & Culture program*
With the entirety of ADE Festival and ADE Arts & Culture accessible with the ADE Pro Pass, your ticket enables you to explore the full spectrum of electronic subgenres in over 200 of Amsterdam’s finest music and nightlife spaces — with 2.500+ artists performing at 1.000+ events during five days and nights.
* Limited capacity at high-demand venues – read more at our FAQ.
✓ Receive the official ADE 2025 Bag
Your ADE Pro Pass comes with the limited edition ADE 2025 Bag, an ADE Pro Pass exclusive included with your ticket.
Our conferences are accessible for all ages in general. Do note that when alcoholic beverages are served, access can be denied.
Related Events
The IAEL Legal Update for Entertainment & Technology
Ryan McWhinnie (Senior Licensing Lawyer, Merlin Network), Götz Schneider-Rothhaar (Partner, SKW Schwarz), Faisal Daudpota (Partner, Daudpota International), Ben Foulston (Senior Associate, Clintons), & more speakers
Google DeepMind | Beyond Prompts: Creative Tools for Making Music in the Age of AI
Jeff Chang (Director of Product, Google DeepMind)
Tech and start-up opening hour
Future Frequencies: The New Era of DJing
Bomo Piri (Native Instruments), Rob Anderson (AlphaTheta), Rob McCallum (DJ Mag)
AI in Arts & Culture
Laser 3.14 (Street Poet), Bastiaan Woudt (Artist), Merel van Helsdingen (Founder & Managing Director, Nxt Museum), Dave Clarke
Meet the Managers
Cristiana Votta (Managing Director, Black Coffee & Alegria Agency), Kwame Kwaten (Managing Director, Ferocious Talent), Matt Caldwell (Founder & CEO, MCPR), Joe Smooth (CEO, Joe Smooth Music), Kenneth Komisar (President, Fundadores Music LLC, NHMM LLC), & more speakers
Meet the Experts of Sustainability & Social Change
15 industry experts on sustainability and social change
IAEL | Music Without Borders: Hot Legal Topics in the Music Business after the First Quarter of the 21st Century
Kenneth D. Freundlich (Founder, Freundlich Law), Margriet Koedooder (Partner, De Vos & Partners), & more speakers
Sound Without Boundaries: Celebrating Music that Redefines Place and Local Economies
Stacey Hotwaxx Hale (Artist), Mirik Milan (Vibelab), Bianca Iulia Simion (Club Guesthouse), Jeremiah Wolf (Peace Ambassador, Mohawk Nation), Ruth Daniel
Redesigning the Live Industry by Embracing AI
Jan Willem van der Meer (Chief Strategy Officer, Momants.ai), Andrea Faroppa (Head of Sónar+D), Liselore Lugt (CEO & Co-founder, RebelsAI), Brent van den Elshout, Oscar Kriek