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An Amsterdam canal at blue hour with yellow ADE flags, canal houses and a lit bridge.

ADE 2026 · 21–25 October · Amsterdam

Get the most from ADE 2026

For DJs, producers, booking agencies, labels, promoters, media, managers, PR and filmmakers: the rooms, the programme, the map and a plan for every role.

A MavelPoint guide · programme checked on 14 October 2026

How to use this guide

  1. Read Part I once: the dates, rooms, programme, map, rules and budgets every role shares.
  2. Then go to your chapter in Part II: goals, checklist, week, sessions, playbook and budget.
  3. Two hats, a DJ who produces, a label owner who manages? The whole programme shows every session and who it is for.
  4. Times and rooms move. Check the official listing the morning you go.

“Don't try to do everything, you can't! It's physically impossible. That's probably the most common mistake.”

Jan-Willem van de Ven, managing director of ADE, to Mixmag, September 2026

Part I

The week everyone shares

What the seven roles have in common: the dates and rooms, what changed this year, the whole programme with who each session is for, the map, the rules that hold for everyone, the budgets and RE:UNION. Read it once, then go to your chapter.

Parked bicycles beside an Amsterdam canal in daylight, with an arched brick bridge, leafy trees and canal houses.
Bicycles beside the Prinsengracht, Amsterdam. Pieter van de Sande

ADE 2026 at a glance

Checked on the official pages on 14 October 2026.

Dates
21–25 Oct Pro conference Wed–Sat; Sunday is festival only.
Edition
30th Guest of honour Jean-Michel Jarre; opening concert Wed 21 at AFAS Live.
Programme
3,600+ artists, 1,300+ events and 300+ venues; completed 6 October.
Pro Pass
€795 + fee Late rate plus 3.77%, almost sold out. No day passes; ADE Lab not included.
ADE Lab Discovery
Free Wed–Fri 10:00–18:00 at Westergas. Register online, wristband at the desk.
Badge pickup
Tue 20 From 14:00 at Felix Meritis. Personal: bring ID.

The shape of a day

  1. 09:00 Reset: review the list you keep outside the app.
  2. 10:00–14:00 Four to six meetings of 20–30 minutes, in one neighbourhood.
  3. 14:00–17:00 The "Meet the…" rooms, a hub or the Andaz lobby. One panel at most.
  4. 17:00–01:00 The mixer circuit. Eat first.
  5. 22:00–06:00 Two or three nights, chosen for who will be there. Buy those tickets.

The "Meet the…" rooms

Speed-meeting rooms with a Pro Pass. The highlighted chip is the role that sits on the other side of the table.

  • Meet the Event Organisers & Promoters

    When
    Wed 21 · 11:00–12:30
    Where
    Rosewood
    Who sits there
    Thirteen promoters, incl. Audio Obscura, Verknipt, ZeeZout, World Club Dome and AMFE (Spain)
    Access
    Pro Pass
    In this guide
    • DJs (on this role's list)
    • Agencies (on this role's list)
    • Promoters (the role met in this room)

  • Meet the Agents

    When
    Wed 21 · 13:15–14:45
    Where
    Rosewood
    Who sits there
    Eleven agents, incl. WME, ROAM Artists, The Bullitt Agency, AD Sound and Anna Agency
    Access
    Pro Pass
    In this guide
    • DJs (on this role's list)
    • Agencies (the role met in this room)
    • Promoters (on this role's list)
    • Managers (on this role's list)

  • Meet the Labels & A&Rs

    When
    Wed 21 · 15:30–17:00
    Where
    Rosewood
    Who sits there
    Twelve A&Rs, incl. Sony, Universal, Believe, Monstercat, STMPD and fabric
    Access
    Pro Pass
    In this guide
    • DJs (on this role's list)
    • Producers (on this role's list)
    • Labels (the role met in this room)
    • Managers (on this role's list)

  • Meet the Sync Pros (BMIM)

    When
    Wed 21 · 15:30–17:00
    Where
    Felix Meritis · Koepelzaal
    Who sits there
    Twenty sync professionals, incl. Netflix and Position Music
    Access
    Application closed 11 Oct
    In this guide
    • Producers (on this role's list)
    • Labels (on this role's list)

  • Meet the DSPs & Distributors

    When
    Thu 22 · 13:15–14:45
    Where
    Rosewood
    Who sits there
    Twenty people, incl. Beatport, Believe, SoundCloud, Deezer, The Orchard, AWAL and Bandcamp
    Access
    Pro Pass
    In this guide
    • Producers (on this role's list)
    • Labels (on this role's list)
    • Managers (on this role's list)

  • Meet the Media

    When
    Thu 22 · 15:45–17:15
    Where
    Rosewood
    Who sits there
    25 outlets, incl. DJ Mag, Mixmag, Crack, IQ, Pollstar, VICE, 3FM and SLAM!
    Access
    By application, apply by 16 Oct 23:59
    In this guide
    • Media (the role met in this room)
    • Managers (on this role's list)

  • Meet the Managers

    When
    Fri 23 · 12:15–13:45
    Where
    Rosewood
    Who sits there
    Sixteen managers
    Access
    Pro Pass
    In this guide
    • DJs (on this role's list)
    • Agencies (on this role's list)
    • Managers (the role met in this room)

  • Meet the Publishers

    When
    Fri 23 · 14:30–16:00
    Where
    Rosewood
    Who sits there
    Two publishers listed on 14 October: Copyright Power International and Believe–Sentric
    Access
    Pro Pass
    In this guide
    • Producers (on this role's list)
    • Labels (on this role's list)
    • Managers (on this role's list)

  • Meet the Professionals from the focus regions

    When
    Sat 24 · 14:30–16:00
    Where
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal
    Who sits there
    Brazil, Africa and the Middle East; more names to be announced
    Access
    Pro Pass
    In this guide
    • Agencies (on this role's list)
    • Labels (on this role's list)
    • Promoters (on this role's list)
    • Media (on this role's list)

Rosewood rooms are the Courtyard/Atrium of the Matchmaking Hub. Format: short introductions, then one-to-one; bring a QR card. A highlighted chip marks the role that sits on the other side of the table. A tenth room, Meet the AI Players, was announced in June: check the official listing for its time.

New in 2026

What changed this year, with the official source for each line.

Access and tickets

  • Pro Pass at the late rate: €795 + 3.77% fee, almost sold out. No day or conference-only passes; the pass covers Pro, Green, Culture Hub and the Business Hubs, not ADE Lab. Company discounts on request. source
  • Door policy: Pro Pass entry to festival events is capped per venue, then "full for now". Single tickets guarantee entry. source
  • ADE Lab Discovery is free, Wed–Fri 10:00–18:00 at Westergas: register online, collect the wristband at the desk. Gear Test Lab at Het Ketelhuis. source
  • Press accreditation closed on 7 September and is strictly for journalists; PR agents, bookers and promoters are refused and work on a Pro Pass. source

Meeting formats

  • "Meet the…" grows to ten speed-meeting rooms at the Rosewood Matchmaking Hub: short introductions, then one-to-one. source
  • Meet the Media is by application this year: Pro Pass holders apply by 16 October, 23:59 and are pre-matched with 25 outlets. source
  • The Andaz is the Business Hub again, with private meeting spaces and company hubs; ADE also lists hotel meeting rooms (nhow RAI, NYX, Anantara Krasnapolsky, The Hoxton, Hotel V, Zoku, Conscious). source
  • TicketSwap's Global Promoter Hub at RIVVIA (Keizersgracht 264): panels Wed–Thu, including the new "Behind the Booking" with MDLBEAST, Encode Talent and NOON Agency. source

Programme

  • Programme completed on 6 October: late additions include Spotify Insider Knowledge, 30 Years of ADE and Why Humans Still Need Dancefloors? source
  • The 30th edition: Jean-Michel Jarre as guest of honour, with the Oxygène concert at AFAS Live on Wed 21 (separate tickets) and a keynote at ADE Pro. source
  • ADE Green takes over Felix Meritis on Friday 23, Pro Pass only: dancefloors, low-impact touring, funding under fire, sustainability experts. source
  • ADE and VibeLab launch the Nighttime Culture Index: a public dashboard on the cultural vitality of nightlife in six cities. source

Lab, demos, hosting and film

  • Demolition XXIX: Sat 24, 16:15–17:45, Felix Meritis Zuilenzaal, with Dave Clarke, Joseph Capriati, BT, Pooja B, Louisahhh and Aroha Harawira. Submission details on the listing. source
  • BMIM Meet the Sync Pros is matched by application; the deadline passed on 11 October. source
  • Hosting: official events must be at a registered venue and the 2026 window has closed. The Festival Fund (registered locations, by e-mail) is "emphatically not a government subsidy". source
  • Film: Ongepolijst, the documentary on twenty years of Dutch grime, premieres on Fri 23 at 19:45 at Het Ketelhuis. source

The whole programme

36 sessions + RE:UNION. Every session from the seven role chapters on one time axis, then the same list with the roles each one serves.

Filter the programme

  • "Meet the…" rooms
  • Sessions and talks
  • Day-long programmes and events
  • RE:UNION, doors 14:30
The ADE 2026 programme by day and time, 10:00 to 22:00, with the sessions from all seven role guides 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 Wed 21 Pro · Lab · opening 1 · ADE Lab Discovery · 10:00–18:00 daily 1 ADE Lab Discovery 4 · Meet The Event Organisers & Promoters · 11:00–12:30 4 5 · Bandcamp | Essential Insider Knowledge · 12:30–13:15 5 6 · Music & Machines: artists across generations · 12:45–13:30 6 7 · Meet The Agents · 13:15–14:45 7 8 · Behind the Booking: what artists, managers and promoters really want · 14:15–15:00 8 9 · BMIM | Meet the Sync Pros · 15:30–17:00 9 10 · Meet The Labels & A&Rs · 15:30–17:00 10 Thu 22 Pro · Lab · RE:UNION 1 · ADE Lab Discovery · 10:00–18:00 daily 1 ADE Lab Discovery 16 · Afro House Summit · 14:00–19:00 16 Afro House Summit R · RE:UNION · ADE 2026 · 14:30 → early evening R RE:UNION · Q-Factory 11 · Beyond the Numbers: 5 trends reshaping the industry today · 11:15–12:00 11 12 · Spotify | Essential Insider Knowledge · 12:15–13:00 12 13 · Meet The DSP’s & Distributors · 13:15–14:45 13 14 · SoundCloud | Essential Insider Knowledge · 13:15–14:00 14 15 · The Chorus Showcase | ADE Startup Class of ’26 · 13:45–16:30 15 17 · Meet Arturia at MIDI Amsterdam · 15:00–17:00 17 18 · The Shrinking Gatekeep: a conversation between artists · 15:30–16:15 18 19 · Meet the Media · 15:45–17:15 19 20 · 30 Years of ADE · 16:45–17:45 20 Fri 23 Pro · Lab · ADE Green 1 · ADE Lab Discovery · 10:00–18:00 daily 1 ADE Lab Discovery 21 · Meet The Managers · 12:15–13:45 21 22 · Why Humans Still Need Dancefloors? · 12:30–13:15 22 23 · Creating the Next Generation of Club Promoters (AFEM) · 13:30–14:15 23 24 · Artists on AI, A No-BS Roundtable · 13:45–14:45 24 25 · Micro Communities: Connected Locally, Impacting Globally · 14:15–15:00 25 26 · Meet the Publishers · 14:30–16:00 26 27 · Masterclass | Your Unique Climate Impact · 15:00–16:00 27 28 · Building an independent career with Mau P · 16:15–17:00 28 29 · Ongepolijst: 20 years of grime in the Netherlands (film premiere & drinks) · 19:45–22:00 29 Ongepolijst Sat 24 Pro · Culture Hub 31 · A Deep Dive into MENA's Thriving Live Music Scene · 13:15–14:00 31 33 · The Brazil Boom · 13:30–14:15 33 32 · Culture and Ownership with Cruel Santino · 13:30–14:00 32 34 · Meet the focus-region professionals · 14:30–16:00 34 35 · Demolition XXIX · 16:15–17:45 35 Sun 25 Festival only 36 · Keriko · 07:00 Sunday–07:00 Monday 36 Keriko · Sun 07:00 → Mon 07:00

Not on the time axis: 2 Gear Test Lab (Within Discovery hours); 3 Het Ei by Touki Delphine (Public installation · day and night); 30 Funding resilient scenes (Time to confirm on the official listing) . The RE:UNION bar fades because the programme runs from 15:00 into the early evening.

Running all week

Lab Village and public art

  1. 1
    ADE Lab Discovery

    Wed–Fri · 10:00–18:00 daily
    Westergas · Lab Village

    Free · registration + wristband
    • DJs ( on this role's list )
    • Producers ( on this role's list )
  2. 2
    Gear Test Lab

    Wed–Fri · Within Discovery hours
    Het Ketelhuis · Westergas

    Free · Discovery wristband
    • Producers ( on this role's list )
  3. 3
    Het Ei by Touki Delphine

    Wed–Sun · Public installation · day and night
    Westerpark

    Free public installation
    • Media ( on this role's list )

Wednesday 21 October

Pro · Lab · opening

  1. 4
    Meet The Event Organisers & Promoters

    Wed 21 · 11:00–12:30
    Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium

    Pro Pass
    • DJs ( on this role's list )
    • Agencies ( on this role's list )
    • Promoters ( the role met in this room )
  2. 5
    Bandcamp | Essential Insider Knowledge

    Wed 21 · 12:30–13:15
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal

    Pro Pass
    • Producers ( on this role's list )
    • Labels ( on this role's list )
  3. 6
    Music & Machines: artists across generations

    Wed 21 · 12:45–13:30
    Rosewood · Ballroom

    Pro Pass
    • Producers ( on this role's list )
    • Media ( on this role's list )
  4. 7
    Meet The Agents

    Wed 21 · 13:15–14:45
    Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium

    Pro Pass
    • DJs ( on this role's list )
    • Agencies ( the role met in this room )
    • Promoters ( on this role's list )
    • Managers ( on this role's list )
  5. 8
    Behind the Booking: what artists, managers and promoters really want

    Wed 21 · 14:15–15:00
    TicketSwap Global Promoter Hub · RIVVIA, Keizersgracht 264

    Pro Pass
    • Agencies ( on this role's list )
    • Promoters ( on this role's list )
    • Managers ( on this role's list )
  6. 9
    BMIM | Meet the Sync Pros

    Wed 21 · 15:30–17:00
    Felix Meritis · Koepelzaal

    Pro Pass + separate application
    • Producers ( on this role's list )
    • Labels ( on this role's list )
  7. 10
    Meet The Labels & A&Rs

    Wed 21 · 15:30–17:00
    Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium

    Pro Pass
    • DJs ( on this role's list )
    • Producers ( on this role's list )
    • Labels ( the role met in this room )
    • Managers ( on this role's list )

Thursday 22 October

Pro · Lab · RE:UNION

  1. 11
    Beyond the Numbers: 5 trends reshaping the industry today

    Thu 22 · 11:15–12:00
    TicketSwap Global Promoter Hub · RIVVIA, Keizersgracht 264

    Pro Pass
    • Agencies ( on this role's list )
    • Promoters ( on this role's list )
  2. 12
    Spotify | Essential Insider Knowledge

    Thu 22 · 12:15–13:00
    Felix Meritis · Zuilenzaal

    Pro Pass
    • DJs ( on this role's list )
    • Producers ( on this role's list )
    • Labels ( on this role's list )
    • Media ( on this role's list )
    • Managers ( on this role's list )
  3. 13
    Meet The DSP’s & Distributors

    Thu 22 · 13:15–14:45
    Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium

    Pro Pass
    • Producers ( on this role's list )
    • Labels ( on this role's list )
    • Managers ( on this role's list )
  4. 14
    SoundCloud | Essential Insider Knowledge

    Thu 22 · 13:15–14:00
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal

    Pro Pass
    • DJs ( on this role's list )
  5. 15
    The Chorus Showcase | ADE Startup Class of ’26

    Thu 22 · 13:45–16:30
    Felix Meritis · Concertzaal

    Pro Pass
    • Labels ( on this role's list )
    • Media ( on this role's list )
  6. 16
    Afro House Summit

    Thu 22 · 14:00–19:00
    LuminAir · Oosterdoksstraat 4, level 11

    Guest list · registration required
    • DJs ( on this role's list )
    • Producers ( on this role's list )
    • Labels ( on this role's list )
    • Media ( on this role's list )
  7. R
    RE:UNION · ADE 2026

    Thu 22 · 14:30 → early evening
    Q-Factory · Atlantisplein 1, Oost

    Free · QR pass
    • DJs ( on this role's list )
    • Producers ( on this role's list )
    • Agencies ( on this role's list )
    • Labels ( on this role's list )
    • Promoters ( on this role's list )
    • Media ( on this role's list )
    • Managers ( on this role's list )
  8. 17
    Meet Arturia at MIDI Amsterdam

    Thu 22 · 15:00–17:00
    MIDI Amsterdam · Overtoom 431

    Check event page
    • Producers ( on this role's list )
  9. 18
    The Shrinking Gatekeep: a conversation between artists

    Thu 22 · 15:30–16:15
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal

    Pro Pass
    • DJs ( on this role's list )
    • Agencies ( on this role's list )
    • Promoters ( on this role's list )
    • Media ( on this role's list )
    • Managers ( on this role's list )
  10. 19
    Meet the Media

    Thu 22 · 15:45–17:15
    Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium

    Pro Pass
    • Media ( the role met in this room )
    • Managers ( on this role's list )
  11. 20
    30 Years of ADE

    Thu 22 · 16:45–17:45
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal

    Pro Pass
    • DJs ( on this role's list )
    • Agencies ( on this role's list )
    • Labels ( on this role's list )
    • Promoters ( on this role's list )
    • Media ( on this role's list )
    • Managers ( on this role's list )

Friday 23 October

Pro · Lab · ADE Green

  1. 21
    Meet The Managers

    Fri 23 · 12:15–13:45
    Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium

    Pro Pass
    • DJs ( on this role's list )
    • Agencies ( on this role's list )
    • Managers ( the role met in this room )
  2. 22
    Why Humans Still Need Dancefloors?

    Fri 23 · 12:30–13:15
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal

    Pro Pass
    • DJs ( on this role's list )
    • Promoters ( on this role's list )
    • Media ( on this role's list )
  3. 23
    Creating the Next Generation of Club Promoters (AFEM)

    Fri 23 · 13:30–14:15
    Felix Meritis · Husly Lounge

    Pro Pass
    • Agencies ( on this role's list )
    • Promoters ( on this role's list )
  4. 24
    Artists on AI, A No-BS Roundtable

    Fri 23 · 13:45–14:45
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal

    Pro Pass
    • Producers ( on this role's list )
    • Labels ( on this role's list )
    • Media ( on this role's list )
    • Managers ( on this role's list )
  5. 25
    Micro Communities: Connected Locally, Impacting Globally

    Fri 23 · 14:15–15:00
    Felix Meritis · Teekenzaal 2

    Pro Pass
    • Promoters ( on this role's list )
    • Media ( on this role's list )
  6. 26
    Meet the Publishers

    Fri 23 · 14:30–16:00
    Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium

    Pro Pass
    • Producers ( on this role's list )
    • Labels ( on this role's list )
    • Managers ( on this role's list )
  7. 27
    Masterclass | Your Unique Climate Impact

    Fri 23 · 15:00–16:00
    Felix Meritis · Koepelzaal

    Pro Pass
    • Agencies ( on this role's list )
  8. 28
    Building an independent career with Mau P

    Fri 23 · 16:15–17:00
    Rosewood · Ballroom

    Pro Pass
    • DJs ( on this role's list )
    • Agencies ( on this role's list )
    • Labels ( on this role's list )
    • Managers ( on this role's list )
  9. 29
    Ongepolijst: 20 years of grime in the Netherlands (film premiere & drinks)

    Fri 23 · 19:45–22:00
    Het Ketelhuis · Zaal 1, Westergas

    Check event page · tickets
    • Media ( on this role's list )
    • Managers ( on this role's list )
  10. 30
    Funding resilient scenes

    Fri 23 · Time to confirm on the official listing
    Felix Meritis · ADE Green

    Pro Pass · no Green day tickets
    • Promoters ( on this role's list )

Saturday 24 October

Pro · Culture Hub

  1. 31
    A Deep Dive into MENA's Thriving Live Music Scene

    Sat 24 · 13:15–14:00
    Felix Meritis · Koepelzaal

    Pro Pass
    • Agencies ( on this role's list )
    • Promoters ( on this role's list )
  2. 32
    Culture and Ownership with Cruel Santino

    Sat 24 · 13:30–14:00
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal

    Pro Pass
    • Media ( on this role's list )
    • Managers ( on this role's list )
  3. 33
    The Brazil Boom

    Sat 24 · 13:30–14:15
    Felix Meritis · Zuilenzaal

    Pro Pass
    • Agencies ( on this role's list )
    • Labels ( on this role's list )
    • Promoters ( on this role's list )
  4. 34
    Meet the focus-region professionals

    Sat 24 · 14:30–16:00
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal

    Pro Pass
    • Agencies ( on this role's list )
    • Labels ( on this role's list )
    • Promoters ( on this role's list )
    • Media ( on this role's list )
  5. 35
    Demolition XXIX

    Sat 24 · 16:15–17:45
    Felix Meritis · Zuilenzaal

    Pro Pass
    • DJs ( on this role's list )
    • Producers ( on this role's list )
    • Labels ( on this role's list )

Sunday 25 October

Festival only

  1. 36
    Keriko

    Sun 25 · 07:00 Sunday–07:00 Monday
    Meet Berlage · Oudebrugsteeg 9

    Separate festival ticket · check availability
    • DJs ( on this role's list )
    • Promoters ( on this role's list )

Where things are

The venues in this guide across the six areas everyone moves between.

Schematic map of ADE 2026 venues in Amsterdam Noord / NDSM Westerpark · Lab Village Canal ring Hamerkwartier Oost · Oosterpark Vondelpark the IJ Metro 52 → Centraal 8 min Centraal Zuidoost · 15 min by metro Ziggo Dome · AFAS Live · ArenA 1 · Felix Meritis 1 2 · Andaz Amsterdam 2 3 · Rosewood Amsterdam 3 4 · Pulitzer Amsterdam 4 5 · The Hoxton, Herengracht 5 6 · RIVVIA · The Empress 6 7 · Leidseplein 7 8 · Meet Berlage 8 9 · LuminAir 9 10 · Amsterdam Centraal 10 11 · Westergas · Lab Village 11 12 · Thuishaven 12 13 · MIDI Amsterdam 13 14 · NDSM / DGTL area 14 15 · A’DAM Tower · Shelter · The Loft 15 16 · Garage Noord 16 17 · Noord metro station 17 18 · Q-Factory 18 19 · Ziggo Dome 19 20 · AFAS Live 20 21 · Johan Cruijff ArenA 21

RE:UNION, Q-Factory Schematic · relative positions from real coordinates · ferries from Centraal to Noord are free
  1. 1
    Felix Meritis Keizersgracht 324 ADE Pro conference hub · Canal ring
  2. 2
    Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht 587 Pro venue; the busiest lobby · Canal ring
  3. 3
    Rosewood Amsterdam Prinsengracht 432–436 Pro venue; "Meet the…" sessions · Canal ring
  4. 4
    Pulitzer Amsterdam Prinsengracht 323 Pro venue (past editions) · Canal ring
  5. 5
    The Hoxton, Herengracht Herengracht 255 Lobby meetings · Canal ring
  6. 6
    RIVVIA · The Empress Keizersgracht 264 Session venue 2026 · Canal ring
  7. 7
    Leidseplein Leidseplein Paradiso, Melkweg, trams · Canal ring
  8. 8
    Meet Berlage Oudebrugsteeg 9 Session venue 2026 · Centraal
  9. 9
    LuminAir Oosterdoksstraat 4 Session venue 2026 · Centraal
  10. 10
    Amsterdam Centraal Stationsplein Trains, metro, free ferries to Noord · Centraal
  11. 11
    Westergas · Lab Village Pazzanistraat / Klönneplein (Gashouder, WestWeelde, Radio Radio, Pacific, Het Ketelhuis) ADE Lab, free daytime programme · West & Westerpark
  12. 12
    Thuishaven Contactweg 68 Outdoor club, large nights · West & Westerpark
  13. 13
    MIDI Amsterdam Overtoom 431 Session venue 2026 · West & Westerpark
  14. 14
    NDSM / DGTL area NDSM-plein, Noord Warehouses; free ferry from Centraal · Noord
  15. 15
    A’DAM Tower · Shelter · The Loft Overhoeksplein 1 Across the IJ, 3-minute ferry · Noord
  16. 16
    Garage Noord Gedempt Hamerkanaal 40 Club, Hamerkwartier · Noord
  17. 17
    Noord metro station Termini Metro 52 to Centraal · Noord
  18. 18
    Q-Factory Atlantisplein 1, Oost RE:UNION · Thu 22 Oct · Oost RE:UNION, Q-Factory
  19. 19
    Ziggo Dome De Passage 100, Zuidoost Arena-scale nights · Zuidoost
  20. 20
    AFAS Live Johan Cruijff Boulevard 590 Large concerts · Zuidoost
  21. 21
    Johan Cruijff ArenA Johan Cruijff Boulevard 1 Stadium shows · Zuidoost

Canal-ring venues are a ten-minute walk apart. Westergas is 15–25 minutes from the canals; Q-Factory 15–20 minutes by tram or metro; Noord by free ferry from Centraal; Zuidoost by metro. A Pro Pass includes GVB public transport for five days.

Rules for every role

The advice every chapter repeats, in one place.

  1. ADE books nobody.

    Lineups are fixed by June and ADE has no in-house booker. The week starts relationships; dates, deals and features follow in the months after.

  2. Book meetings before you fly.

    Use the ADE app database from late summer. Four to six meetings of 20–30 minutes a day, in one neighbourhood.

  3. Know which room you are met in.

    Agencies, labels, promoters, media and managers each sit on the other side of one "Meet the…" table. Decide what you can say yes to.

  4. One link, one ask.

    A current profile or press-kit link, not last year's PDF. One request, two time windows.

  5. The badge is not a ticket.

    Pro Pass entry to festival events is capped per venue. Buy single tickets for the two or three nights that matter; arrive early for the rest.

  6. Pitch in daylight.

    Not in queues, bathrooms or after midnight; no demos on dancefloors; never ask a new contact for guest list.

  7. Respect the floor.

    Several clubs run no-phone dancefloors. Filming needs the venue's written OK; a press pass is not a photo pass.

  8. Pace the week.

    Two or three nights, not five. Eat before the mixers, sleep before the meetings, and split up from the crew from home.

The follow-up, for every role

  1. Same night One line per person: who, what they need, what you promised, by when.
  2. Within 48 h The link or file you promised, with one sentence recalling the conversation.
  3. 1–4 weeks The real ask: a date, a release, a feature, an offer. Holds become offers within a week.
  4. January The check-in, when spring and summer calendars fill. Then plan ADE 2027.

Budgets across roles

Indicative five-night totals from elsewhere in Europe, with the Pro Pass at the late rate.

  • No pass, Lab path or press pass
  • One person with a Pro Pass
  • Team of two
Indicative five-night budget ranges for each role, in euros €0 €1,000 €2,000 €3,000 €4,000 €5,000 €6,000 €7,000 Lean (no pass): €650–1,300 DJs Lean (no pass) €650–1,300 Working DJ (Pro Pass): €2,150–3,300 Working DJ (Pro Pass) €2,150–3,300 Lab path (no Pro Pass): €650–1,450 Producers Lab path (no Pro Pass) €650–1,450 Pro path (Pro Pass): €2,150–3,300 Pro path (Pro Pass) €2,150–3,300 One agent (Pro Pass): €2,250–3,600 Agencies One agent (Pro Pass) €2,250–3,600 Team of two + showcase: €4,400–6,800 Team of two + showcase €4,400–6,800 Label manager alone (Pro Pass): €2,150–3,300 Labels Label manager alone (Pro Pass) €2,150–3,300 Team of two (A&R + manager): €4,300–6,600 Team of two (A&R + manager) €4,300–6,600 Buying trip, one person (Pro Pass): €2,250–3,500 Promoters Buying trip, one person (Pro Pass) €2,250–3,500 Team of two, hosting (travel only): €4,500–7,000 Team of two, hosting (travel only) €4,500–7,000 Accredited journalist (press pass): €850–1,900 Media Accredited journalist (press pass) €850–1,900 Not accredited (Pro Pass): €2,150–3,300 Not accredited (Pro Pass) €2,150–3,300 Manager or publicist (Pro Pass): €2,150–3,300 Managers Manager or publicist (Pro Pass) €2,150–3,300 Filmmaker on the Lab path: €650–1,450 Filmmaker on the Lab path €650–1,450
Indicative five-night budget ranges for each role, in euros
Role Band Range
DJs Lean (no pass) €650–1,300
DJs Working DJ (Pro Pass) €2,150–3,300
Producers Lab path (no Pro Pass) €650–1,450
Producers Pro path (Pro Pass) €2,150–3,300
Agencies One agent (Pro Pass) €2,250–3,600
Agencies Team of two + showcase €4,400–6,800
Labels Label manager alone (Pro Pass) €2,150–3,300
Labels Team of two (A&R + manager) €4,300–6,600
Promoters Buying trip, one person (Pro Pass) €2,250–3,500
Promoters Team of two, hosting (travel only) €4,500–7,000
Media Accredited journalist (press pass) €850–1,900
Media Not accredited (Pro Pass) €2,150–3,300
Managers Manager or publicist (Pro Pass) €2,150–3,300
Managers Filmmaker on the Lab path €650–1,450
Budgets across roles · No pass or Lab path · One person, Pro Pass · Team of two
Line No pass or Lab path One person, Pro Pass Team of two
Pass €0 (free Lab Discovery and daytime programme) €795 + 3.77% fee (late rate, almost sold out) 2 × €795 + fees; ask ADE about a company discount
Flights / train €100–250 €150–350 €300–700
Bed, 5 nights €300–600 hostel, shared flat or Noord €800–1,500 canal ring or De Pijp €1,600–3,000, or a shared apartment
Food and coffee meetings €150–250 €250–400 €500–800
Transport €30–60 (GVB, ferries) GVB included with the pass included with the passes
Event tickets 1–2 nights, €50–150 2–3 nights, €120–220 €240–440

Not in these totals, and not published anywhere we could find: showcase, event and venue costs; what a venue pays to be official; Festival Fund grant sizes; set fees below headliner level; gear, insurance and filming permits. Planning bands, not quotes.

RE:UNION · ADE 2026

Thursday 22 October, Q-Factory. Free with a QR pass.

Our invitation · RE:UNION · ADE 2026

Conversations beyond the dancefloor

The Spanish-speaking scene and its international counterparts in one room during ADE: agencies, labels, promoters, media and the artists they work with. MavelPoint takes part as technology partner.

When
Thursday 22 October
Hours
Doors 14:30 · programme from 15:00 into the early evening
Where
Q-Factory, Atlantisplein 1 (Oost)
Access
Free with a QR pass
  • The MavelPoint Room: get your profile and press kit ready with the team, on site.
  • "From EPK to Opportunity" workshop: what agents, promoters and labels actually open first.
  • Local Circuit · ADE edition, live.
  • A panel with MavelPoint's CEO and industry guests.
Get your free QR pass(opens in a new tab) reunionbeyond.com
RE:UNION · ADE 2026
Role Why the afternoon matters
DJs & performing artists For the Spanish-speaking scene, this is the one afternoon when the agencies, promoters and labels from home are in one room. Bring three talking points, not a USB.
Producers For Spanish-speaking producers, this is the afternoon when the labels, agencies and media from home are in one room; bring one private link, not a USB.
Booking agencies One room with the Spanish-speaking scene's promoters, labels and agencies and their international counterparts: the fixed point where buyers who flew in can find your roster and your team.
Labels & A&R For labels with Spanish-speaking artists or partners, this is the one afternoon the agencies, promoters and media from home are in one room with their international counterparts. Bring the release calendar, not the catalogue.
Promoters & venues For promoters who book Spanish-speaking artists, or want to, this is the one afternoon the agencies and labels from Spain and Latin America are in one room with their international counterparts. Bring dates and budgets.
Media & journalists For media covering the Spanish-speaking scene, this is the one afternoon its agencies, labels, promoters and artists are in one room with their international counterparts: interviews, a panel and the Local Circuit live.
Managers, PR & filmmakers For managers and publicists of Spanish-speaking artists, this is the one afternoon the agencies, labels, promoters and media from home are in one room with their international counterparts. The MavelPoint Room gets the artist's profile and press kit ready on site.

Part II

Seven role chapters

One chapter per role, each in the same order: who it is for, the numbers, before ADE, your week, your sessions, in the room, mistakes, what veterans say, the budget and the follow-up.

Every chapter follows the same order. Pick yours, or read them all.

Seven roles at a glance

Where each role pitches, where it sits on the other side of the table, and the day that asks the most of it.

  • DJs & performing artists

    You pitch at
    Meet the Event Organisers & Promoters (Wed 11:00) · Meet the Agents (Wed 13:15)
    You are the one being met at
    —
    Busiest day
    Thu 22
    Sessions
    14

  • Producers

    You pitch at
    Meet the Labels & A&Rs (Wed 15:30) · DSPs & Distributors (Thu 13:15) · Publishers (Fri 14:30)
    You are the one being met at
    —
    Busiest day
    Wed 21
    Sessions
    13

  • Booking agencies

    You pitch at
    Meet the Event Organisers & Promoters (Wed 11:00)
    You are the one being met at
    Meet the Agents (Wed 13:15)
    Busiest day
    Fri 23
    Sessions
    13

  • Labels & A&R

    You pitch at
    Meet the DSPs & Distributors (Thu 13:15) · Publishers (Fri 14:30)
    You are the one being met at
    Meet the Labels & A&Rs (Wed 15:30)
    Busiest day
    Thu 22
    Sessions
    14

  • Promoters & venues

    You pitch at
    Meet the Agents (Wed 13:15)
    You are the one being met at
    Meet the Event Organisers & Promoters (Wed 11:00)
    Busiest day
    Fri 23
    Sessions
    14

  • Media & journalists

    You pitch at
    —
    You are the one being met at
    Meet the Media (Thu 15:45)
    Busiest day
    Thu 22
    Sessions
    14

  • Managers, PR & filmmakers

    You pitch at
    Agents and Labels (Wed) · DSPs and Media, by application (Thu) · Publishers (Fri)
    You are the one being met at
    Meet the Managers (Fri 12:15)
    Busiest day
    Thu 22
    Sessions
    14

Chapter 1 of 7 · Role guide

DJs & performing artists

Build relationships that turn into dates.

ADE books nobody: lineups are largely fixed by June, and the people who book them are all in Amsterdam for five days. This guide turns that week into three to five promoters who know your name, one or two labels that fit your sound and, if the numbers warrant it, a first agent conversation.

At RE:UNION For the Spanish-speaking scene, this is the one afternoon when the agencies, promoters and labels from home are in one room. Bring three talking points, not a USB.

Download this chapter PDF · 13 pages · 0.9 MB MB
Add my sessions to my calendar .ics · 14 sessions + RE:UNION
Black and white close-up of a DJ adjusting knobs on a mixer, with decks visible nearby.
Hands at the mixer. Nadia Sitova

Who it is for

Three DJs go to ADE and they are not going for the same thing.

Relationships that turn into dates over the following year: promoters and bookers with a reason to remember you, labels that fit your sound, and a follow-up they actually answer in November.

Who it is for
Profile What ADE is for, in this case
Emerging DJ Local gigs, a small following, no agent. Here to understand how the machine works and leave with a handful of real contacts.
Working DJ Regular club bookings, maybe a residency, a few releases, no exclusive agency. Here to convert relationships into next year's dates.
Touring DJ An agent, a manager, a schedule. Here because everyone you work with is here: meetings, dinners, mixers, sets.
Who it is for
Stage Realistic goal for the week First move
Exploring Leave with a clearer direction and two peers to follow up with. Lab Discovery (free), one accessible session, introduce yourself to a peer.
First releases & gigs Test whether your sound fits a room or a label. A recent set on your phone; one feedback conversation; ask for a next step.
Building momentum Turn momentum into dates and one partner conversation. Name the gap (bookings, team, audience); book meetings with the people who fill it.
Established Strengthen the relationships that shape next year's calendar. A shortlist of decisions; meeting time reserved before panels and nights.

Numbers that shape your week

Lineups fixed by
June First 250+ artists announced 30 June; 1,500+ by 1 September; 3,600+ when the programme closed on 6 October. Pitch in spring for next year.
Meet the Agents
Wed 13:15 Rosewood Courtyard/Atrium · Pro Pass · no sign-up: short introductions, then one-to-one. Arrive early with a QR card.
App messages per delegate
≈ 5 About 50,000 messages a year across 11,000 professionals; agents get far more. The specific message wins.
Door policy
Full for now Pro Pass entry to festival events is capped per venue. Buy a single ticket for the night you cannot miss.

Before ADE

The cycle repeats every year within a week or two. Reading this the week before? Start at "One week out" and diary the spring items for 2027.

Spring · six months out

  • link

July · three months out

  • link

Mid-September · database opens

One week out

  • link
  • link

Your ticks stay in this browser.

Bring

  • Recent set, offline on the phone
  • One current link (EPK or MavelTree)
  • QR card
  • Three talking points
  • Tech rider
  • Two or three single tickets

Your week

Fourteen sessions checked on the official programme on 14 October. Times and rooms still move: check the listing the morning you go.

Wed 21

  1. 10:00–18:00 daily ADE Lab Discovery Westergas · Lab Village Free · registration + wristband
  2. 11:00–12:30 Meet The Event Organisers & Promoters Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium Pro Pass
  3. 13:15–14:45 Meet The Agents Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium Pro Pass
  4. 15:30–17:00 Meet The Labels & A&Rs Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium Pro Pass

Thu 22

  1. 10:00–18:00 daily ADE Lab Discovery Westergas · Lab Village Free · registration + wristband
  2. 12:15–13:00 Spotify | Essential Insider Knowledge Felix Meritis · Zuilenzaal Pro Pass
  3. 13:15–14:00 SoundCloud | Essential Insider Knowledge Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal Pro Pass
  4. 14:00–19:00 Afro House Summit LuminAir · Oosterdoksstraat 4, level 11 Guest list · registration required
  5. 14:30 → early evening RE:UNION · ADE 2026 Q-Factory · Atlantisplein 1, Oost Free · QR pass
  6. 15:30–16:15 The Shrinking Gatekeep: a conversation between artists Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal Pro Pass
  7. 16:45–17:45 30 Years of ADE Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal Pro Pass

Fri 23

  1. 10:00–18:00 daily ADE Lab Discovery Westergas · Lab Village Free · registration + wristband
  2. 12:15–13:45 Meet The Managers Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium Pro Pass
  3. 12:30–13:15 Why Humans Still Need Dancefloors? Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal Pro Pass
  4. 16:15–17:00 Building an independent career with Mau P Rosewood · Ballroom Pro Pass

Sat 24

  1. 16:15–17:45 Demolition XXIX Felix Meritis · Zuilenzaal Pro Pass

Sun 25

  1. 07:00 Sunday–07:00 Monday Keriko Meet Berlage · Oudebrugsteeg 9 Separate festival ticket · check availability

Mornings for the meetings you booked; one panel a day at most, chosen for a person you want to talk to afterwards.

  • Wed 21

    Morning
    Badge pickup at Felix Meritis; Meet the Event Organisers & Promoters 11:00
    Afternoon
    Meet the Agents 13:15; Meet the Labels & A&Rs 15:30; Andaz lobby
    Evening and night
    Jarre at AFAS Live (ticket), or eat first and work the mixers

  • Thu 22

    Morning
    Four 20-minute meetings on the canal ring; Spotify 12:15
    Afternoon
    RE:UNION, Q-Factory from 14:30; otherwise SoundCloud 13:15, Gatekeep 15:30, 30 Years 16:45
    Evening and night
    One club night chosen for who will be there

  • Fri 23

    Morning
    Meetings; Meet the Managers 12:15 or the dancefloors talk 12:30
    Afternoon
    Coffee follow-ups; Mau P 16:15 at the Rosewood
    Evening and night
    Support a smaller label night where you can talk

  • Sat 24

    Morning
    Coffee with the week's best contacts
    Afternoon
    Demolition 16:15 if you produce; Culture Hub at Felix Meritis
    Evening and night
    Your own set, or the night you bought a ticket for

  • Sun 25

    Morning
    Brunch, notes, send the 48-hour messages
    Afternoon
    Keriko at Meet Berlage if you want one last room
    Evening and night
    Rest

Sessions for you

Why each one earns a slot, and the access it needs. A saved session is not a ticket.

  • ADE Lab Discovery

    Day
    Wed–Fri
    Time
    10:00–18:00 daily
    Venue
    Westergas · Lab Village
    Why go
    A free way to try electronic music tools and join accessible sessions.
    Access
    Free · registration + wristband

  • Meet The Event Organisers & Promoters

    Day
    Wed 21
    Time
    11:00–12:30
    Venue
    Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium
    Why go
    Connect your artist, roster or event idea to people who programme live events.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Meet The Agents

    Day
    Wed 21
    Time
    13:15–14:45
    Venue
    Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium
    Why go
    Eleven booking agents in one room: test whether an agent fits the work you already have.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Meet The Labels & A&Rs

    Day
    Wed 21
    Time
    15:30–17:00
    Venue
    Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium
    Why go
    If you release music: twelve label managers and A&Rs, straight after the agents, same room.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Spotify | Essential Insider Knowledge

    Day
    Thu 22
    Time
    12:15–13:00
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Zuilenzaal
    Why go
    Spotify's dance and regional editors on how local scenes reach global listeners. Bring one question.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • SoundCloud | Essential Insider Knowledge

    Day
    Thu 22
    Time
    13:15–14:00
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal
    Why go
    Live case study with Silva Bumpa on how an independent artist breaks through. Time moved from 13:45.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Afro House Summit

    Day
    Thu 22
    Time
    14:00–19:00
    Venue
    LuminAir · Oosterdoksstraat 4, level 11
    Why go
    Sets, A&R sessions and an industry mixer for the afro house scene. Register for the guest list first.
    Access
    Guest list · registration required

  • The Shrinking Gatekeep: a conversation between artists

    Day
    Thu 22
    Time
    15:30–16:15
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal
    Why go
    Novah, SPFDJ, LYZZA and HoneyLuv on who gets booked as agencies and festivals consolidate. Time moved from 15:00.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • 30 Years of ADE

    Day
    Thu 22
    Time
    16:45–17:45
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal
    Why go
    Anna Knaup, Richard Zijlma and Maria Jimenez with Dave Clarke on what thirty editions taught the people who book.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Meet The Managers

    Day
    Fri 23
    Time
    12:15–13:45
    Venue
    Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium
    Why go
    Sixteen managers: bring one concrete development problem, not a request to be signed.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Why Humans Still Need Dancefloors?

    Day
    Fri 23
    Time
    12:30–13:15
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal
    Why go
    Eris Drew, researcher Alice O'Grady and RAUM's Sven Bijma on what a dancefloor is for. ADE Green.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Building an independent career with Mau P

    Day
    Fri 23
    Time
    16:15–17:00
    Venue
    Rosewood · Ballroom
    Why go
    Mau P with his manager, his label and The Pacha Group on building an independent project.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Demolition XXIX

    Day
    Sat 24
    Time
    16:15–17:45
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Zuilenzaal
    Why go
    If you produce: live feedback from Joseph Capriati, BT, Pooja B and Louisahhh; submission details to follow.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Keriko

    Day
    Sun 25
    Time
    07:00 Sunday–07:00 Monday
    Venue
    Meet Berlage · Oudebrugsteeg 9
    Why go
    Latin house marathon to close the week, with Homies Booking (Spain) and Santurce Recordings (Puerto Rico).
    Access
    Separate festival ticket · check availability

In the room

Lead with the three talking points, not your Instagram numbers. Ask what they are working on.

In the room
Moment Do this Say or ask
Meet the Agents, Rosewood, Wed 13:15 Short introductions first, then one-to-one. Move around the room; three talking points, not follower counts. Which rooms or audiences suit this project, and what evidence would make it easier to book?
Andaz lobby, afternoon Ask what they are working on; demo on your phone, offered once, never pushed. Can I send you the set and one date idea next week?
A label mixer, 19:00 Eat first. Ten minutes, then move on unless they keep you. What did you release this year that surprised you?
A promoter you want to play for Give them a reason to book: a room, a date window, a number that matters. Your Thursday room suits this; could we talk about spring?
Backstage at 03:00 Do not pitch. Enjoy the night and send the message on Monday. Nothing. Dance.

Mistakes we keep seeing

Mistakes we keep seeing
Mistake we keep seeing Instead
Coming to get booked at ADE rather than because of ADE. Pitch in spring; use October to meet the people who book next year.
Going straight for the headliners with a USB. Mid-level promoters and label managers reply in November; headliners do not.
No profile link, or a PDF from 2023. One current link on the card and in every message.
Treating the badge as a ticket. Buy the two or three nights that matter; doors go "full for now".
Spending five nights with the crew from home. Split up; meet at breakfast to compare notes.
Asking new contacts for guest list. Ask for twenty minutes next month.
No follow-up. Same night a note; 48 hours the link; January the check-in.

What veterans say

Verbatim, from public interviews and articles; the source is linked on each card.

  • “Things get done here… You're backstage at shady hours with shady people doing shady things, doing business talks.”

    William Kouam Djoko DJ and producer · Vice/Thump · 2015 source

  • “ADE will not turn you into a superstar after one visit.”

    Jamie Hartley writer · We Are Crossfader · 2019 source

  • “The first time I went… I was one of those kids in the streets with his CD promoting his stuff.”

    Hardwell DJ · Vice/Thump · 2015 source

  • “Don't expect it to happen from your bedroom; you've got to get out there, and show your face in these events.”

    Saoirse DJ · ADE Lab · 2023 source

  • “Most of the really good stuff happens 'off event' — label parties, DJ lock-ins, private parties.”

    JP Lantieri DJ and producer · Electrofans · 2024 source

  • “Playing at ADE is a huge opportunity, not only to share my sound but also to learn from other artists and cultures.”

    SÜRY DJ · DJ Mag · 2025 source

Budget

Five nights from elsewhere in Europe. Planning bands, not quotes.

Indicative five-night totals using published 2025–26 ranges and the Pro Pass price on the official tickets page on 14 October.

Budget · DJs & performing artists
Line Lean (no pass) · €650–1,300 Working DJ (Pro Pass) · €2,150–3,300
Pass €0 (free Lab Discovery and daytime programme) €795 + 3.77% fee (late rate, almost sold out)
Flights / train €100–250 €150–350
Bed, 5 nights €300–600 hostel, shared flat or Noord €800–1,500 canal ring or De Pijp
Food and coffee meetings €150–250 €250–400
Transport €30–60 (GVB, ferries) GVB included with the pass
Event tickets 1–2 nights, €50–150 2–3 nights, €120–220

Showcase fees for emerging acts are widely assumed to be low or zero; no published data exists. Ask the promoter before you commit. Early-bird and medium pass rates have closed for 2026.

After ADE

Deals rarely close at ADE; they start there.

  1. Same night One line per person in your contact sheet: who, what they need, what you promised.
  2. Within 48 h The link you promised, with one sentence recalling the conversation. Nothing else.
  3. 1–4 weeks The concrete ask: a date, a demo, a mix for their show.
  4. January The check-in, when promoters are actually filling spring and summer. Then pitch for ADE 2027 in March.
ADE app or email · within 48 hours

Subject: Thursday at the Andaz: the set I mentioned

Hi [name], Good to meet you on Thursday — the [their project] story stuck with me. Here is the set I mentioned: [one link]. Profile and dates: [EPK or MavelTree link]. If [their room / date window] is still open for spring, I would love twenty minutes in November. [Two time windows]. [Your name]

New in 2026 for you

  • "Meet the…" grows to ten speed-meeting sessions at the Rosewood Matchmaking Hub. No sign-up: short introductions, then one-to-one; bring a QR card. source
  • Pro Pass at the late rate: €795 + 3.77% fee, almost sold out. No day or conference-only passes; the Pro Pass does not include ADE Lab. source
  • Door policy: a Pro Pass admits you to festival events up to a per-venue cap, then "full for now". Single tickets guarantee entry. source
  • ADE Lab Discovery is free, Wednesday to Friday 10:00–18:00 at Westergas: register online, collect a wristband at the Westergas desk. Gear Test Lab at Het Ketelhuis. source
  • The 30th edition opens with Jean-Michel Jarre at AFAS Live on Wednesday 21 October, 20:00–23:00. Concert tickets are sold separately through Mojo. source
  • Programme completed on 6 October: 3,600+ artists, 1,300+ events, 300+ venues. Late Pro additions include Spotify, 30 Years of ADE and Why Humans Still Need Dancefloors? source
Back to the roles

Chapter 2 of 7 · Role guide

Producers

Get useful feedback. Find the right ears.

Nobody gets signed in a ten-minute slot. What ADE gives producers that nothing else does is the formal route to A&R ears: the Lab, label demo drops, Demolition and the Meet the… rooms, all in one week. This guide gets you there with one or two finished tracks, one question and a follow-up they answer.

At RE:UNION For Spanish-speaking producers, this is the afternoon when the labels, agencies and media from home are in one room; bring one private link, not a USB.

Download this chapter PDF · 14 pages · 1.0 MB MB
Add my sessions to my calendar .ics · 13 sessions + RE:UNION
Synthesizer keyboard and knobs lit by sunlight through window blinds.
Synthesizer in a recording studio. Mykyta Kravčenko

Who it is for

Two producers go to ADE, and many readers are also DJs.

Feedback and contacts, not signings: two tracks heard by the right A&Rs, publishers and distributors, one specific note on what would make them releasable, and a name with permission to follow up. Any signing happens months later.

Who it is for
Profile What ADE is for, in this case
Bedroom producer Unreleased music on a hard drive. Here to find out whether it is any good and how a label actually hears it.
Active producer Releases on small or mid-size labels. Here for publishing, sync, distribution, the next label and, increasingly, collaborators.
DJ-producer Both at once. Use this guide for the music; the DJ guide covers bookings, agents and promoters.
Who it is for
Stage Realistic goal for the week First move
Exploring Leave knowing how a label hears a track and what to practise next. Lab Discovery (free): Gear Test Lab, one open session, one peer to follow up with.
First releases & gigs Honest feedback on two finished tracks from people who release your sound. Private links on your phone; one A&R conversation; ask what would make it releasable.
Building momentum Fill the gap: publishing, distribution, sync or the next label. Book meetings with the people who hold that door; bring a release plan.
Established Refresh the relationships that move your catalogue and the next record. A shortlist of decisions; meeting time reserved before panels and nights.

Numbers that shape your week

Submissions a week
≈ 30,000 What Beatport alone receives, per its SVP Helen Sartory at ADE 2023. Play the bar a DJ would want to hear first.
Meet the Labels & A&Rs
Wed 15:30 Rosewood Courtyard/Atrium · Pro Pass · twelve A&Rs incl. Sony, Universal, Believe, Monstercat, STMPD and fabric. No sign-up: arrive early.
Sync application
Closed 11 Oct BMIM Meet the Sync Pros is matched by application; twenty sync pros incl. Netflix. Diary 9 September for 2027.
Lab Discovery
Free Wed–Fri 10:00–18:00 at Westergas: register online, wristband at the desk. Gear Test Lab at Het Ketelhuis.

Before ADE

The cycle repeats every year within a week or two. Reading this the week before? Start at "One week out" and diary the summer items for 2027.

Summer · three months out

  • link
  • link

September · database opens

  • link
  • link

One week out

  • link
  • link

Your ticks stay in this browser.

Bring

  • Two finished tracks, offline
  • Private links with download
  • One-sheet: three releases, one paragraph
  • QR card to one link
  • Clean USB, nothing else on it
  • The one question

Your week

Thirteen sessions checked on the official programme on 14 October. Times and rooms still move: check the listing the morning you go.

Wed 21

  1. 10:00–18:00 daily ADE Lab Discovery Westergas · Lab Village Free · registration + wristband
  2. 12:30–13:15 Bandcamp | Essential Insider Knowledge Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal Pro Pass
  3. 12:45–13:30 Music & Machines: artists across generations Rosewood · Ballroom Pro Pass
  4. 15:30–17:00 Meet The Labels & A&Rs Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium Pro Pass
  5. 15:30–17:00 BMIM | Meet the Sync Pros Felix Meritis · Koepelzaal Pro Pass + separate application
  6. Within Discovery hours Gear Test Lab Het Ketelhuis · Westergas Free · Discovery wristband

Thu 22

  1. 10:00–18:00 daily ADE Lab Discovery Westergas · Lab Village Free · registration + wristband
  2. 12:15–13:00 Spotify | Essential Insider Knowledge Felix Meritis · Zuilenzaal Pro Pass
  3. 13:15–14:45 Meet The DSP’s & Distributors Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium Pro Pass
  4. 14:00–19:00 Afro House Summit LuminAir · Oosterdoksstraat 4, level 11 Guest list · registration required
  5. 14:30 → early evening RE:UNION · ADE 2026 Q-Factory · Atlantisplein 1, Oost Free · QR pass
  6. 15:00–17:00 Meet Arturia at MIDI Amsterdam MIDI Amsterdam · Overtoom 431 Check event page
  7. Within Discovery hours Gear Test Lab Het Ketelhuis · Westergas Free · Discovery wristband

Fri 23

  1. 10:00–18:00 daily ADE Lab Discovery Westergas · Lab Village Free · registration + wristband
  2. 13:45–14:45 Artists on AI, A No-BS Roundtable Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal Pro Pass
  3. 14:30–16:00 Meet the Publishers Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium Pro Pass
  4. Within Discovery hours Gear Test Lab Het Ketelhuis · Westergas Free · Discovery wristband

Sat 24

  1. 16:15–17:45 Demolition XXIX Felix Meritis · Zuilenzaal Pro Pass

Sun 25

Morning
Brunch, notes, the 48-hour messages
Afternoon
Rest, or a daytime listening session
Evening and night
Home

Mornings for the meetings you booked. The Lab's public demo pitch desk is not yet listed for 2026: ask at the Westergas desk on Wednesday at 10:00.

  • Wed 21

    Morning
    Badge at Felix Meritis, or Westergas at 10:00 for the Lab path
    Afternoon
    Music & Machines 12:45; Meet the Labels & A&Rs 15:30, Rosewood
    Evening and night
    Your own label's showcase, or a label night of someone you met

  • Thu 22

    Morning
    Spotify 12:15; Meet the DSPs & Distributors 13:15
    Afternoon
    RE:UNION, Q-Factory from 14:30; Arturia at MIDI 15:00 if gear matters
    Evening and night
    Label nights of the people you met today

  • Fri 23

    Morning
    Gear Test Lab early; Lab Discovery's last day
    Afternoon
    Artists on AI 13:45; Meet the Publishers 14:30
    Evening and night
    A small label night where you can talk

  • Sat 24

    Morning
    Coffee with the week's best contacts
    Afternoon
    Demolition 16:15, Zuilenzaal; Culture Hub at Felix Meritis
    Evening and night
    The night you bought a ticket for

  • Sun 25

    Morning
    Brunch, notes, the 48-hour messages
    Afternoon
    Rest, or a daytime listening session
    Evening and night
    Home

Sessions for you

Why each one earns a slot, and the access it needs. A saved session is not a ticket.

  • ADE Lab Discovery

    Day
    Wed–Fri
    Time
    10:00–18:00 daily
    Venue
    Westergas · Lab Village
    Why go
    Free: open sessions, product demos and the Gear Test Lab at Westergas. Register first, wristband at the desk.
    Access
    Free · registration + wristband

  • Bandcamp | Essential Insider Knowledge

    Day
    Wed 21
    Time
    12:30–13:15
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal
    Why go
    Aly Gillani and Deniz Everling on Scheduled Release and Bandcamp radio. Time moved from 13:45.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Music & Machines: artists across generations

    Day
    Wed 21
    Time
    12:45–13:30
    Venue
    Rosewood · Ballroom
    Why go
    Jean-Michel Jarre, Armin van Buuren, JakoJako and Lady Starlight on tools and the music they shape.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Meet The Labels & A&Rs

    Day
    Wed 21
    Time
    15:30–17:00
    Venue
    Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium
    Why go
    Twelve A&Rs incl. Sony, Universal, Believe, Monstercat, STMPD and fabric. Match your sound to the label first.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • BMIM | Meet the Sync Pros

    Day
    Wed 21
    Time
    15:30–17:00
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Koepelzaal
    Why go
    Application closed 11 October. If you applied, BMIM confirms your matches; otherwise diary 9 September for 2027.
    Access
    Pro Pass + separate application

  • Gear Test Lab

    Day
    Wed–Fri
    Time
    Within Discovery hours
    Venue
    Het Ketelhuis · Westergas
    Why go
    Arturia, AlphaTheta, KORG, Roland, Yamaha and some 25 brands in all at Het Ketelhuis. Go early.
    Access
    Free · Discovery wristband

  • Spotify | Essential Insider Knowledge

    Day
    Thu 22
    Time
    12:15–13:00
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Zuilenzaal
    Why go
    Spotify's dance and regional editors on how local scenes reach global listeners. Bring one question.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Meet The DSP’s & Distributors

    Day
    Thu 22
    Time
    13:15–14:45
    Venue
    Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium
    Why go
    Twenty pros from Beatport, Believe, Deezer, The Orchard, AWAL, SoundCloud, Bandcamp and LabelWorx. Ask who holds the priority list.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Afro House Summit

    Day
    Thu 22
    Time
    14:00–19:00
    Venue
    LuminAir · Oosterdoksstraat 4, level 11
    Why go
    If you make afro house: A&R sessions and an industry mixer at LuminAir. Guest list registration first.
    Access
    Guest list · registration required

  • Meet Arturia at MIDI Amsterdam

    Day
    Thu 22
    Time
    15:00–17:00
    Venue
    MIDI Amsterdam · Overtoom 431
    Why go
    Hands-on with an Arturia product specialist at MIDI Amsterdam; entry conditions not stated, check the page.
    Access
    Check event page

  • Artists on AI, A No-BS Roundtable

    Day
    Fri 23
    Time
    13:45–14:45
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal
    Why go
    Mathame, BT, Portrait XO, Miss Kittin and Terrence Dixon with Dave Clarke. Time moved from 11:00.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Meet the Publishers

    Day
    Fri 23
    Time
    14:30–16:00
    Venue
    Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium
    Why go
    Two publishers listed so far (Copyright Power, Believe/Sentric): know which works you control before you go.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Demolition XXIX

    Day
    Sat 24
    Time
    16:15–17:45
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Zuilenzaal
    Why go
    Live feedback from Joseph Capriati, BT, Pooja B and Louisahhh, hosted by Dave Clarke. Submission details still to come.
    Access
    Pro Pass

In the room

One question per slot, written down beforehand. Listen more than you talk.

In the room
Moment Do this Say or ask
Meet the Labels & A&Rs, Rosewood, Wed 15:30 Short introductions, then one-to-one. Pick the A&R who releases your sound, not the biggest name. What is the strongest part of this track, and what should I change before releasing it?
A ten-minute demo slot or demo drop Play from the bar a DJ would hear first; listen more than you talk; leave with a name and permission. Who should I be sending this to?
Meet the DSPs & Distributors, Thu 13:15 Bring the release outline and one number. Ask how pitching actually works at their platform. Who sends you the priority list, and what gets a track onto it?
Meet the Publishers, Fri 14:30 Know which works you control and who co-wrote them. One question about admin, sync or splits. What would you need from me to pitch this catalogue?
Andaz lobby, late afternoon Ask what they are working on; the demo on your phone, offered once, never pushed. Can I send you the one track you asked about next week?
Backstage at 03:00 Do not AirDrop anything to anyone. Enjoy the night; send the message on Monday. Nothing. Dance.

Mistakes we keep seeing

Mistakes we keep seeing
Mistake we keep seeing Instead
Expecting a signing in a ten-minute slot. Ask what would make the track releasable; the signing, if any, comes months later.
AirDropping unreleased tracks to strangers, or handing over a full folder on USB. One or two finished tracks, one private link, a card.
Pitching the famous label instead of the one that releases your sound. Build the target list from the demo-drop hosts and the Meet the… line-ups.
Assuming Lab and Pro are next door to each other. Westergas is 15–25 minutes from the canal ring; plan Lab days and Pro days.
Skipping the rights and distribution sessions because they sound boring. They are the part of the week with the highest financial return.
Sending a different track the next morning. Send only what they agreed to receive; wait a week before anything else.
Coming without the question. Write it down: strongest part, what to improve, who else should hear it.

What veterans say

Verbatim, from public interviews and articles; the source is linked on each card. Darude's frame from his 2023 Lab demo session comes first: "In music production, there are no shortcuts."

  • “Don't make stuff for anybody else. Make it for yourself… try not to make something you think the marketplace wants.”

    Darude Producer · ADE Lab · 2023 source

  • “It's the distributors that send us their list of priorities every week… and we do listen to everything on that priority list.”

    Helen Sartory SVP Creator Services, Beatport · Billboard · 2023 source

  • “Sending more than one or two demos at once is often a sure-fire way to get your demos overlooked.”

    Toolroom Academy Demo submission rules · toolroomacademy.com source

  • “There are no rules in making music, which means there's endless learning from everyone else.”

    LUXE Producer, ADE Lab mentor · ADE news · 2024 source

  • “…seeing it resonate with others, especially in the contest, feels really rewarding.”

    stay vaag (Julia Kuipers) Producer, Demolition XXVII winner · ADE news · 2024 source

  • “Find real people, find your freedom, and don't sell yourself out.”

    Narciss Producer and DJ, ADE Lab speaker · ADE news · 2024 source

Budget

Five nights from elsewhere in Europe. Planning bands, not quotes.

Indicative five-night totals using published 2025–26 ranges and the Pro Pass price on the official tickets page on 14 October.

Budget · Producers
Line Lab path (no Pro Pass) · €650–1,450 Pro path (Pro Pass) · €2,150–3,300
Pass €0 Lab Discovery (free); €149 On Track if you were accepted €795 + 3.77% fee (late rate, almost sold out)
Flights / train €100–250 €150–350
Bed, 5 nights €300–600 hostel, shared flat or Westerpark €800–1,500 canal ring or De Pijp
Food and coffee meetings €150–250 €250–400
Transport €30–60 (GVB, ferries) GVB included with the pass
Event tickets 1–2 nights, €50–150 2–3 nights, €120–220

Lab Discovery is free; in 2025 Demolition required a Pro or Lab pass and your presence. Showcase and studio costs are not published. Early-bird and medium Pro Pass rates have closed for 2026.

After ADE

Signings rarely happen at ADE; the feedback does. Every "send me something in November" becomes a dated line.

  1. Same night One line per person: who, what they asked for, when it is due. A dated list, not a memory.
  2. Within 48 h The one track to the one person, quoting their feedback. Nothing else attached.
  3. 1–4 weeks Wait a week before a different track. Then the substantive ask: the release, the split, the pitch.
  4. January When A&Rs have caught up, follow up once with what changed. Apply for On Track and the sync meetings in summer.
ADE app or email · within 48 hours

Subject: Wednesday at the Rosewood: the track you asked for

Hi [name], Thanks for the ten minutes on Wednesday — your note on [the breakdown / the low end] was the useful one. Here is the one track you asked for, as agreed: [private link, download enabled]. If it fits [label / series], I would love to know what would make it releasable for you. No rush before November. [Your name] · [one profile link]

New in 2026 for you

  • Pro Pass at the late rate: €795 + 3.77% fee, almost sold out. No day or conference-only passes; the Pro Pass does not include ADE Lab. source
  • Lab Discovery is free, Wed–Fri 10:00–18:00 at Westergas: register online, wristband at the desk. Gear Test Lab at Het Ketelhuis with Arturia, AlphaTheta, KORG, Roland, Yamaha. source
  • BMIM Meet the Sync Pros (Wed 15:30, Felix Meritis Koepelzaal) is matched by application; the deadline passed on 11 October. Twenty sync pros, including Netflix's Tina Chen and Position Music. source
  • Demolition XXIX: Sat 24 16:15–17:45, Felix Meritis Zuilenzaal, hosted by Dave Clarke with Joseph Capriati, BT, Pooja B, Louisahhh and Aroha Harawira. Submission details: "more information will come soon". source
  • In 2025 Demolition entries went through VIRPP, with a USB wildcard from the floor; the winner got a 2026 Pro Pass. Daily demo pitches ran Wed–Fri, sign-up on the day. source
  • ADE Lab On Track's programme (12 October) is for accepted participants only: demo drops, a live A&R listening room with Phoebe Spencer, and a SoundCloud remix competition with San Holo. source
Back to the roles

Chapter 3 of 7 · Role guide

Booking agencies

Align the roster and the year ahead.

Summer festival grids are drawn by June; ADE is where agencies and promoters align the rest of the year: renewals, the winter and spring club calendar, new territories and the roster in front of buyers who flew in. This guide gives the week a shape: meetings by neighbourhood, the rooms worth an hour, and holds into offers within seven days.

At RE:UNION One room with the Spanish-speaking scene's promoters, labels and agencies and their international counterparts: the fixed point where buyers who flew in can find your roster and your team.

Download this chapter PDF · 13 pages · 1.0 MB MB
Add my sessions to my calendar .ics · 13 sessions + RE:UNION
Colleagues seated around a long table with laptops in a bright office.
Colleagues around a meeting table. Annie Spratt

Who it is for

Three agencies go to ADE and they are not there for the same week.

The roster and the year ahead aligned with the promoters who shape it: renewals with dates attached, the winter and spring club calendar, two new territories opened, and every hold turned into an offer within a week of landing home.

Who it is for
Profile What ADE is for, in this case
Boutique agency Two people, fifteen artists, no Amsterdam office. Here to renew the promoters you have and open two territories.
Established roster Agents with full diaries and a showcase to run. Here to align next year with the promoters who shape it.
Junior agent First ADE. Here to learn the rooms, shadow the meetings and answer artists the way the agency does.
Who it is for
Stage Realistic goal for the week First move
Exploring · first ADE Understand how buyers and agents actually work the week. Sit in Meet the Promoters as a listener; shadow two meetings a day.
First roster Test which rooms and territories fit your first three artists. Three promoter meetings with dates and a fee position; one practitioner session.
Building momentum Turn roster momentum into next year's dates and two new territories. Renewals, expansions, new names: a concrete ask for each; holds into offers within a week.
Established Align the year with the promoters who shape it; decide the shortlist. Meetings reserved before panels and nights; a junior sent to the rooms you skip.

Numbers that shape your week

Summer grids close
May–June Agents report festival bookings now land in May or June, not after ADE. Use the week for spring, autumn and next-next summer.
Meet the Agents
Wed 13:15 Rosewood Courtyard · eleven agents listed, from WME and Bullitt to Anna Agency · no sign-up; you are the one being pitched.
Meetings a day
4–6 Thirty-minute slots between 10:30 and 15:30, one neighbourhood; the mixer circuit runs from 17:00 until after 01:00.
Pro Pass
€795 + fee Late rate, almost sold out; company discounts on request. Badge pickup opens Tuesday 20, 14:00–20:00, Felix Meritis; personal, bring ID.

Before ADE

The cycle repeats every year within a week or two. Reading this the week before? Start at "One week out" and diary the spring items for 2027.

Spring · six months out

  • link

Summer · three months out

  • link

Late summer · database opens

  • link
  • link

One week out

  • link
  • link

Your ticks stay in this browser.

Bring

  • Roster one-sheet with QR
  • Avails and routing windows
  • Fee position per artist
  • Recent live results
  • Three artists to push
  • Inbound policy for juniors

Your week

Thirteen sessions checked on the official programme on 14 October, including two new 2026 panels at the Promoter Hub. Times and rooms still move: check the listing the morning you go.

Wed 21

  1. 11:00–12:30 Meet The Event Organisers & Promoters Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium Pro Pass
  2. 13:15–14:45 Meet The Agents Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium Pro Pass
  3. 14:15–15:00 Behind the Booking: what artists, managers and promoters really want TicketSwap Global Promoter Hub · RIVVIA, Keizersgracht 264 Pro Pass

Thu 22

  1. 11:15–12:00 Beyond the Numbers: 5 trends reshaping the industry today TicketSwap Global Promoter Hub · RIVVIA, Keizersgracht 264 Pro Pass
  2. 14:30 → early evening RE:UNION · ADE 2026 Q-Factory · Atlantisplein 1, Oost Free · QR pass
  3. 15:30–16:15 The Shrinking Gatekeep: a conversation between artists Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal Pro Pass
  4. 16:45–17:45 30 Years of ADE Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal Pro Pass

Fri 23

  1. 12:15–13:45 Meet The Managers Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium Pro Pass
  2. 13:30–14:15 Creating the Next Generation of Club Promoters (AFEM) Felix Meritis · Husly Lounge Pro Pass
  3. 15:00–16:00 Masterclass | Your Unique Climate Impact Felix Meritis · Koepelzaal Pro Pass
  4. 16:15–17:00 Building an independent career with Mau P Rosewood · Ballroom Pro Pass

Sat 24

  1. 13:15–14:00 A Deep Dive into MENA's Thriving Live Music Scene Felix Meritis · Koepelzaal Pro Pass
  2. 13:30–14:15 The Brazil Boom Felix Meritis · Zuilenzaal Pro Pass
  3. 14:30–16:00 Meet the focus-region professionals Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal Pro Pass

Sun 25

Morning
Team debrief; holds-to-offers list; 48-hour notes
Afternoon
Travel
Evening and night
Rest

Mornings for the meetings you booked; one panel a day at most, chosen for a promoter you want to talk to afterwards. The team splits up and compares notes at breakfast.

  • Wed 21

    Morning
    Badge; Meet the Promoters 11:00 as a listener; two meetings
    Afternoon
    Meet the Agents 13:15; Behind the Booking 14:15; Andaz lobby
    Evening and night
    Promoter Hub drinks; eat with the team first

  • Thu 22

    Morning
    Four 30-minute meetings; Promoter Hub trends 11:15
    Afternoon
    RE:UNION, Q-Factory from 14:30; Gatekeep 15:30; 30 Years 16:45
    Evening and night
    UTA social or a label mixer; one club chosen for buyers

  • Fri 23

    Morning
    Meetings; Meet the Managers 12:15
    Afternoon
    Club Promoters 13:30; climate masterclass 15:00; Mau P 16:15
    Evening and night
    A smaller label night where a promoter will hear you

  • Sat 24

    Morning
    Coffee with the week's best promoters; the holds list
    Afternoon
    MENA 13:15 or Brazil Boom 13:30; focus regions 14:30
    Evening and night
    Roster sets; no pitching after midnight

  • Sun 25

    Morning
    Team debrief; holds-to-offers list; 48-hour notes
    Afternoon
    Travel
    Evening and night
    Rest

Sessions for you

Why each one earns a slot, and the access it needs. A saved session is not a ticket.

  • Meet The Event Organisers & Promoters

    Day
    Wed 21
    Time
    11:00–12:30
    Venue
    Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium
    Why go
    The buyer side of your business in one room. Sit in as a listener; note who programmes what.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Meet The Agents

    Day
    Wed 21
    Time
    13:15–14:45
    Venue
    Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium
    Why go
    You are the ones being met: eleven agents listed, a hundred artists pitching. Clear no or clear next step.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Behind the Booking: what artists, managers and promoters really want

    Day
    Wed 21
    Time
    14:15–15:00
    Venue
    TicketSwap Global Promoter Hub · RIVVIA, Keizersgracht 264
    Why go
    MDLBEAST's head of talent buying, Encode Talent and NOON Agency on what bookers want beyond fees and avails.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Beyond the Numbers: 5 trends reshaping the industry today

    Day
    Thu 22
    Time
    11:15–12:00
    Venue
    TicketSwap Global Promoter Hub · RIVVIA, Keizersgracht 264
    Why go
    TicketSwap's report from 125+ organisers, with Fourvenues (Spain) and Ancienne Belgique: the cost pressure your promoters will raise.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • The Shrinking Gatekeep: a conversation between artists

    Day
    Thu 22
    Time
    15:30–16:15
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal
    Why go
    Novah, SPFDJ, LYZZA and HoneyLuv on who gets booked as agencies and festivals consolidate. Time moved from 15:00.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • 30 Years of ADE

    Day
    Thu 22
    Time
    16:45–17:45
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal
    Why go
    Anna Knaup, Richard Zijlma and Maria Jimenez with Dave Clarke on what thirty editions taught the people who book.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Meet The Managers

    Day
    Fri 23
    Time
    12:15–13:45
    Venue
    Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium
    Why go
    Sixteen managers in one room: they choose their artists' agents. Go to listen and to be found.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Creating the Next Generation of Club Promoters (AFEM)

    Day
    Fri 23
    Time
    13:30–14:15
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Husly Lounge
    Why go
    AFEM's promoter guide: fair booking and artist relationships, with Encode Talent, AVA and the Gashouder's Raaf Verhoef.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Masterclass | Your Unique Climate Impact

    Day
    Fri 23
    Time
    15:00–16:00
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Koepelzaal
    Why go
    ADE Green day; routing is an agency decision. Same Friday: The Road to Low Impact Touring, time on the listing.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Building an independent career with Mau P

    Day
    Fri 23
    Time
    16:15–17:00
    Venue
    Rosewood · Ballroom
    Why go
    Mau P with his manager, Baddest Behaviour and The Pacha Group: how a promoter group reads an independent project.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • A Deep Dive into MENA's Thriving Live Music Scene

    Day
    Sat 24
    Time
    13:15–14:00
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Koepelzaal
    Why go
    WME's Steve Hogan on festivals and touring across Morocco, Lebanon and the Gulf, and which promoters are active. Clashes with Brazil.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • The Brazil Boom

    Day
    Sat 24
    Time
    13:30–14:15
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Zuilenzaal
    Why go
    Tours, labels and artist development in Brazil, with HBMC and Das Musik Agency. Starts fifteen minutes after MENA; pick one.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Meet the focus-region professionals

    Day
    Sat 24
    Time
    14:30–16:00
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal
    Why go
    Speed-meeting with professionals from Brazil, MENA and Sub-Saharan Africa; names still being added. Bring one collaboration idea.
    Access
    Pro Pass

In the room

Promoters respond to offers, not to "let's catch up". Lead with dates, budgets and avails; ask what they are working on.

In the room
Moment Do this Say or ask
Promoter meeting, Andaz, 10:30 Lead with dates, budgets and avails; one sheet per artist; agree who sends what, by when. We have [artist] routing through [region] in [month]; which of your dates fits, and at what budget?
Meet the Agents, Rosewood, Wed 13:15 You are the one being pitched. Give a clear no or a clear next step in one sentence. Not for us this year. Send one link and I will listen in November.
A label mixer, 19:00 Eat first. Roster fit in one line; ten minutes, then move on unless they keep you. What are you releasing in spring, and who is playing it?
Hold to offer, the week after Recap every promoter with the dates discussed; turn holds into offers within seven days. Confirming Thursday: [artist], [date], [fee position]. Offer attached; shall we hold until Friday?
A junior's first ADE Send them to Meet the Promoters as a listener and to one practitioner session; two meetings a day shadowing. What did the promoter actually need, and what did we promise?

Mistakes we keep seeing

Mistakes we keep seeing
Mistake we keep seeing Instead
Treating ADE as a sales sprint. It is the relationship week; summer closed in June.
Showcase sets as the only reason to be in a room at night. Choose nights for the buyers in them.
No inbound policy; juniors promise, nobody follows up. One link, a November listening afternoon, no promises.
Meetings scattered across the city. One neighbourhood a day; the canal-ring hubs are ten minutes apart.
Over-promising dates you do not control. Avails and fee positions on paper before you land.
"Let's catch up" messages to promoters. Dates, budgets, avails and two time windows.
Holds left as holds. Offers within a week; recap notes with the dates.

What veterans say

Verbatim, from public interviews and articles; the source is linked on each card.

  • “There's nothing like the energy of agents, managers, publicists, artists, label owners, and fans being in the same room, and it's an important place for us to get aligned on the year ahead.”

    Jon Sax Liaison Artists · Mission Makers (recorded at ADE) · 2023 source

  • “Bookings are now made in May or June, not only after ADE.”

    “Boekingen worden nu al gedaan in mei of juni en niet pas na ADE.”

    Anna Knaup Anna Agency · NOS · 2025 source

  • “The artist ultimately creates the demand, not the agent.”

    Simon Clarkson Primary Talent · Mission Makers (recorded at ADE 2024) · 2025 source

  • “Don't leave booking your meetings to the last minute.”

    Sharron Elkabas Agency director · MN2S · 2014 source

  • “…the booking agent's proverbial golf course — the best place to get business done.”

    Toolroom Academy Agency training feature · The role of booking agents source

  • “…where labels scout talent, where booking agents and promoters align their calendars for the year ahead.”

    Damion Pell editor, Decoded Magazine, after ten editions · Decoded · 2025 source

Budget

Five nights from elsewhere in Europe. Planning bands, not quotes; the return is measured in dates confirmed by February.

Indicative five-night totals using published 2025–26 ranges and the Pro Pass price on the official tickets page on 14 October.

Budget · Booking agencies
Line One agent (Pro Pass) · €2,250–3,600 Team of two + showcase · €4,400–6,800
Pass €795 + 3.77% fee (late rate, almost sold out) —
Flights / train €150–350 €300–700
Bed, 5 nights €800–1,500 canal ring or De Pijp —
Food and coffee meetings €250–400 —
Hosted coffees and drinks for promoters €100–300 —
Transport GVB included with the pass —
Event tickets 2–3 nights, €120–220 €240–440
Passes — 2 × €795 + fees; ask ADE for a company discount
Beds, 5 nights × 2 — €1,600–3,000
Food, coffee meetings and hospitality — €600–1,000
Meeting room — Hotel rates on request; not published
Showcase: venue, sound, staff, drinks — Not published; a project budget on top

The team band excludes the showcase and the meeting room: venue, sound, staff and drinks are not published anywhere and vary by night. Treat them as a project budget. Early-bird and medium pass rates have closed for 2026.

After ADE

Deals rarely close at ADE; they start there. Holds become offers in the week after.

  1. Same night One line per promoter in the contact sheet: dates discussed, fee position, what you promised.
  2. Within 48 h A recap note to every promoter with the dates, plus the avails you promised. Nothing else.
  3. 1–4 weeks Holds into offers within seven days; new territories into the CRM; the November listening afternoon for artist inbound.
  4. January The check-in on spring and autumn dates, then reconcile the ADE conversations with the May–June festival reality.
ADE app or email · within 48 hours

Subject: Wednesday at the Andaz: [artist] for [month]

Hi [name], Good to meet you on Wednesday. As discussed: [artist] is routing through [region] on [dates]; fee position [range], subject to the routing. Avails and the one-sheet: [roster link]. Can we hold [date] until [day next week] while you check the budget? I will send the offer the same day. [Your name], [agency]

New in 2026 for you

  • New for 2026: Behind the Booking, Wed 21 14:15 at the Promoter Hub, puts MDLBEAST's head of talent buying, Encode Talent and NOON Agency on one panel about what bookers want. source
  • TicketSwap's Global Promoter Hub at RIVVIA (The Empress, Keizersgracht 264): panels Wed–Thu, drinks at night, Pro Pass. Speakers include elrow's Juan Arnau and ID&T's Duncan Stutterheim. source
  • ADE's 2026 meeting-room list: nhow RAI, NYX, Anantara Krasnapolsky (discount with your Pro Pass order number), The Hoxton, Hotel V, Zoku, Conscious. Book with the hotel. source
  • Andaz is the Business Hub again, with "dedicated spaces for private meetings", company meeting hubs (Koolwaters Agency, SENA) and the AFEM mixer. UTA hosts a social at the Rosewood. source
  • Pro Pass at the late rate: €795 + 3.77% fee, almost sold out; no day passes. Companies: "get in touch with us to get a personal Pro Pass discount offer". source
  • The State of the Live Industry: One Year On (Sziget's Tamás Kádár, Tinie Tempah) is on the Pro programme: dynamic pricing, touring costs, algorithm-led booking. Time on the official listing. source
Back to the roles

Chapter 4 of 7 · Role guide

Labels & A&R

Connect artists, partners and release plans.

For a label, "everybody is there" means the distributor, the DSP editors, the publishers and sync agents, the rights bodies, your artists, the artists you want and the media, in one week and mostly within a ten-minute walk. This guide turns that into a release calendar the right people have agreed to, and a showcase decision made on purpose.

At RE:UNION For labels with Spanish-speaking artists or partners, this is the one afternoon the agencies, promoters and media from home are in one room with their international counterparts. Bring the release calendar, not the catalogue.

Download this chapter PDF · 12 pages · 1.0 MB MB
Add my sessions to my calendar .ics · 14 sessions + RE:UNION
Vinyl record sleeves in shop bins below handwritten genre signs.
Record shop. Barbara Burgess

Who it is for

Three labels go to ADE with three budgets. The chapter separates them where it matters.

The release calendar for the next two quarters agreed with the people who can move it; two or three A&R leads that fit the sound; distributor and DSP relationships refreshed in person; and, if the budget allows, a showcase that makes the label a place rather than a logo.

Who it is for
Profile What ADE is for, in this case
Two-person imprint Six EPs a year, A&R and label manager in one body. Here for distributor and DSP conversations, demo tables and one daytime moment.
Mid-size independent A roster, a release calendar and a distributor. Here to lock two quarters, refresh DSP editors and decide whether a showcase pays.
Major or large independent An electronic division or a label like Armada or Defected. Here to be present with value: masterclasses, demo drops, a hub, a night that works by day.
Who it is for
Stage Realistic goal for the week First move
Exploring Understand how distribution, DSP pitching and sync actually work. Bandcamp and Spotify Insider Knowledge; Lab Discovery; one distributor conversation.
First releases Test whether the catalogue fits a distributor and an editor. Meet the DSPs & Distributors with one release plan; ask what would make it pitchable.
Building momentum Lock the next two quarters with the partners who move them. Book DSP and distributor meetings in September; host a listening session, not a party.
Established Strengthen relationships; decide the showcase tier for next year. A&R at the demo tables as host; label manager in the hubs; a debrief by January.

Numbers that shape your week

What was listed on the official programme on 14 October.

Meet the Labels & A&Rs
Wed 15:30 Rosewood. Twelve A&Rs listed (Sony, Universal, Believe, Monstercat, STMPD, fabric…). You are the one being met.
DSP day
Thu 13:15 Meet the DSPs & Distributors: twenty people from Beatport, Believe, SoundCloud, Deezer, The Orchard, AWAL, Bandcamp, LabelWorx and more.
Venue window
Closed To host in 2026 you partner with a registered ADE venue. Registration reopens around January; the Festival Fund is applied for by e-mail.
Submissions a week
≈ 30,000 Beatport's figure at ADE 2023: the distributor's weekly priority list is what gets listened to.

Before ADE

The cycle repeats every year within a week or two. Reading this the week before? Start at "One week out" and diary the spring items for 2027.

Spring · six months out

  • link
  • link

Summer · three months out

September · database opens

  • link

One week out

Your ticks stay in this browser.

Bring

  • Release calendar Q4–Q2
  • Label one-sheet with QR
  • Catalogue priorities
  • Support you can offer an artist
  • Demo-slot policy for the A&R
  • Two or three single tickets

Your week

Fourteen sessions checked on the official programme on 14 October. Times and rooms still move: check the listing the morning you go.

Wed 21

  1. 12:30–13:15 Bandcamp | Essential Insider Knowledge Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal Pro Pass
  2. 15:30–17:00 Meet The Labels & A&Rs Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium Pro Pass
  3. 15:30–17:00 BMIM | Meet the Sync Pros Felix Meritis · Koepelzaal Pro Pass + separate application

Thu 22

  1. 12:15–13:00 Spotify | Essential Insider Knowledge Felix Meritis · Zuilenzaal Pro Pass
  2. 13:15–14:45 Meet The DSP’s & Distributors Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium Pro Pass
  3. 13:45–16:30 The Chorus Showcase | ADE Startup Class of ’26 Felix Meritis · Concertzaal Pro Pass
  4. 14:00–19:00 Afro House Summit LuminAir · Oosterdoksstraat 4, level 11 Guest list · registration required
  5. 14:30 → early evening RE:UNION · ADE 2026 Q-Factory · Atlantisplein 1, Oost Free · QR pass
  6. 16:45–17:45 30 Years of ADE Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal Pro Pass

Fri 23

  1. 13:45–14:45 Artists on AI, A No-BS Roundtable Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal Pro Pass
  2. 14:30–16:00 Meet the Publishers Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium Pro Pass
  3. 16:15–17:00 Building an independent career with Mau P Rosewood · Ballroom Pro Pass

Sat 24

  1. 13:30–14:15 The Brazil Boom Felix Meritis · Zuilenzaal Pro Pass
  2. 14:30–16:00 Meet the focus-region professionals Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal Pro Pass
  3. 16:15–17:45 Demolition XXIX Felix Meritis · Zuilenzaal Pro Pass

Sun 25

Morning
Team debrief: demos taken, promises made, costs
Afternoon
Book the November listening day
Evening and night
Home

Label managers work the hubs, not the panels. A&Rs take demos only in the designated slots.

  • Wed 21

    Morning
    Badge at Felix Meritis; distributor meeting; Bandcamp 12:30
    Afternoon
    Meet the Labels & A&Rs 15:30 (A&R in the room); Sync Pros if accepted
    Evening and night
    The independent-label mixers; your own roster first

  • Thu 22

    Morning
    Two DSP editor meetings; Spotify 12:15
    Afternoon
    DSPs & Distributors 13:15; RE:UNION, Q-Factory from 14:30; Afro House A&R sessions
    Evening and night
    Your artists' sets; stand near the booth

  • Fri 23

    Morning
    Publisher or sync agent coffee; rights and royalties sessions
    Afternoon
    Artists on AI 13:45; Meet the Publishers 14:30; Mau P 16:15
    Evening and night
    Showcases of labels you want to work with

  • Sat 24

    Morning
    Coffee with the week's best contacts
    Afternoon
    Brazil Boom 13:30; focus regions 14:30; Demolition 16:15
    Evening and night
    One night chosen for who will be there

  • Sun 25

    Morning
    Team debrief: demos taken, promises made, costs
    Afternoon
    Book the November listening day
    Evening and night
    Home

Sessions for you

Why each one earns a slot, and the access it needs. A saved session is not a ticket.

  • Bandcamp | Essential Insider Knowledge

    Day
    Wed 21
    Time
    12:30–13:15
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal
    Why go
    Aly Gillani and Deniz Everling on Scheduled Release and Bandcamp radio. Time moved from 13:45.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Meet The Labels & A&Rs

    Day
    Wed 21
    Time
    15:30–17:00
    Venue
    Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium
    Why go
    You are the ones being met: a hundred prepared pitches in ninety minutes. Decide beforehand what one track you ask for.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • BMIM | Meet the Sync Pros

    Day
    Wed 21
    Time
    15:30–17:00
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Koepelzaal
    Why go
    Music supervisors and sync agents (Netflix, Position Music, Publicis). Applications closed 11 October; diary it for 2027.
    Access
    Pro Pass + separate application

  • Spotify | Essential Insider Knowledge

    Day
    Thu 22
    Time
    12:15–13:00
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Zuilenzaal
    Why go
    Spotify's dance and regional editors on how local scenes reach global listeners. Bring one question.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Meet The DSP’s & Distributors

    Day
    Thu 22
    Time
    13:15–14:45
    Venue
    Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium
    Why go
    The DSP day. Twenty platform and distribution people in one room; bring the release plan, not the catalogue.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • The Chorus Showcase | ADE Startup Class of ’26

    Day
    Thu 22
    Time
    13:45–16:30
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Concertzaal
    Why go
    The 2026 startup cohort: tools your label will be sold next year, seen before the sales call.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Afro House Summit

    Day
    Thu 22
    Time
    14:00–19:00
    Venue
    LuminAir · Oosterdoksstraat 4, level 11
    Why go
    Sets, A&R sessions and an industry mixer for the afro house scene. Register for the guest list first.
    Access
    Guest list · registration required

  • 30 Years of ADE

    Day
    Thu 22
    Time
    16:45–17:45
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal
    Why go
    Anna Knaup, Richard Zijlma and Maria Jimenez with Dave Clarke on what thirty editions taught the people who book.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Artists on AI, A No-BS Roundtable

    Day
    Fri 23
    Time
    13:45–14:45
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal
    Why go
    Mathame, BT, Portrait XO, Miss Kittin and Terrence Dixon with Dave Clarke. Time moved from 11:00.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Meet the Publishers

    Day
    Fri 23
    Time
    14:30–16:00
    Venue
    Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium
    Why go
    Composition rights and catalogue conversations; only two publishers were listed on 14 October, so arrive early.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Building an independent career with Mau P

    Day
    Fri 23
    Time
    16:15–17:00
    Venue
    Rosewood · Ballroom
    Why go
    An artist, his label and his management on independence: the Pro theme of the year, from the inside.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • The Brazil Boom

    Day
    Sat 24
    Time
    13:30–14:15
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Zuilenzaal
    Why go
    The business context behind Brazil's scene, with Spinnin's Natalia Raul; a Portuguese-speaking market, not a Spanish one.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Meet the focus-region professionals

    Day
    Sat 24
    Time
    14:30–16:00
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal
    Why go
    Professionals from Brazil, Africa and the Middle East; more names to be announced.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Demolition XXIX

    Day
    Sat 24
    Time
    16:15–17:45
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Zuilenzaal
    Why go
    Watch how A&Rs give feedback in public; the floor is where next year's demo-drop hosts are recruited.
    Access
    Pro Pass

In the room

The label is pitched as often as it pitches. Both sides of the table in one week.

In the room
Moment Do this Say or ask
Meet the Labels & A&Rs, Rosewood Listen for fit, ask for one track, decline kindly and keep the door open. Send me the one track you would release first, and nothing else, in November.
A DSP editor, Thursday Bring the next six releases and the story behind each; ask what they need to pitch it. Which of these fits a playlist you actually programme, and what would make it pitchable?
The distributor, in person Have the priority-list conversation you never have on the weekly call. Which two releases would you put on the priority list, and why those?
A publisher or sync agent One catalogue brief, cleared and tagged; ask about briefs, not deals. What are supervisors asking you for this quarter that you cannot find?
Your artist's set, midnight Stand near the booth; talk to the label managers who came to listen. What did you release this year that surprised you?

Mistakes we keep seeing

Mistakes we keep seeing
Mistake we keep seeing Instead
A night that is a party rather than a place. An A&R plan, a guest list of buyers and media, a daytime element.
Sending the A&R to Pro and the label manager to Lab. A&R at Lab and the demo tables; manager in the hubs and the "Meet the…" rooms.
No distributor meeting because "we talk every week". The priority-list conversation is different in person. Book it first.
Ignoring the rights and royalties sessions. The money sits there: BumaStemra, AFEM, publishers, sync.
Taking demos at 02:00 and losing them by 10:00. Demos only in the designated slots; one dated line per promise.
Hosting without an official venue partner. Partner with a registered venue; Pro Pass holders must get in within capacity.
A November inbox nobody answers. A listening day with a reply to everyone. A no is a relationship too.

What veterans say

Verbatim, from public interviews and articles; the source is linked on each card.

  • “For music pros, the priority is to come back every year because everybody is there; we want it to be the best moment of the year to do business.”

    Jan-Willem van de Ven managing director, ADE · Billboard · 2025 source

  • “We want to be present, but we also want to offer up a lot of value. We don't just want to be a place for people to have a drink.”

    Stephen Campbell global head of dance, Apple Music · Billboard · 2025 source

  • “It's the distributors that send us their list of priorities every week… and we do listen to everything on that priority list.”

    Helen Sartory SVP Creator Services, Beatport · Billboard · 2023 source

  • “We believe in real, personalised artist building.”

    Armin van Buuren co-founder, Armada Music · DJ Mag · 2023 source

  • “Every time I crossed into the city, I felt a spark… And every ADE, I wanted to live here.”

    Ilker Soylu founder, Zwart Goud (shop, distributor, label) · ADE editorial · 2025 source

  • “Hands-on information… they need to take home value for themselves or their organization.”

    Meindert Kennis ADE, on what professionals want from the week · Billboard · 2023 source

Budget

Five nights from elsewhere in Europe. Planning bands, not quotes; the showcase is a project budget on top.

Indicative five-night totals using published 2025–26 ranges and the Pro Pass price on the official tickets page on 14 October.

Budget · Labels & A&R
Line Label manager alone (Pro Pass) · €2,150–3,300 Team of two (A&R + manager) · €4,300–6,600
Pass €795 + 3.77% fee (late rate, almost sold out) 2 × €795 + fees; ask ADE about a company discount
Flights / train €150–350 €300–700
Bed, 5 nights €800–1,500 canal ring or De Pijp €1,600–3,000, or a shared apartment
Food and coffee meetings €250–400 €500–800
Transport GVB included with the pass included with the passes
Event tickets 2–3 nights, €120–220 €240–440
Showcase or daytime moment — Project budget: venue, sound, staff, drinks are not published

What a venue pays to be official and what a showcase returns are not published. The free café showcase (DTLA × Purple Tea, 2025) shows the floor; Armada's takeover week shows the ceiling.

After ADE

Deals are seeded at ADE and signed later. The November listening day is where the week pays.

  1. Same night One line per contact and per demo: who, what they need, what you promised, when.
  2. Within 48 h The release plan or the one track an editor asked for, with one sentence recalling the conversation.
  3. 2–4 weeks Sync leads followed while the supervisor remembers the track; DSP pitch calendars aligned to what editors said.
  4. November → January Listening day with a reply to everyone; showcase debrief (cost, attendance, who came); next year's decision before venue registration opens.
ADE app or email · within 48 hours

Subject: Thursday at the Rosewood: the two releases we talked about

Hi [name], Good to meet you on Thursday — thank you for the note on [what they said about the catalogue]. Here are the two releases I mentioned, with dates and the story behind each: [private link]. If [their playlist / priority list / brief] is open for [quarter], could we take twenty minutes in November? [Two time windows]. [Your name], [label]

New in 2026 for you

  • Meet the Labels & A&Rs (Wed 21, 15:30–17:00, Rosewood) lists twelve A&Rs, from Sony, Universal and Believe to Monstercat, STMPD and fabric. Open to Pro Pass holders, no sign-up. source
  • Meet the DSPs & Distributors (Thu 22, 13:15–14:45) brings twenty platform and distribution people, including Beatport, Believe, SoundCloud, Deezer, The Orchard, AWAL, Bandcamp, LabelWorx and UnitedMasters. source
  • BMIM Meet the Sync Pros (Wed 21, Felix Meritis Koepelzaal) is matched by application; the 11 October deadline has passed. Twenty sync professionals, including Netflix and Position Music. source
  • Hosting: an official ADE event must be at a registered venue, and the 2026 venue window has closed, so you partner with an official venue. Pro Pass holders are admitted within capacity. source
  • The ADE Festival Fund is for registered festival locations, one application per event by e-mail, judged on urgency, innovation, diversity and inclusion, local talent development and impact beyond ADE. "Emphatically not a government subsidy." source
  • Pro Pass at the late rate: €795 + 3.77% fee, almost sold out; company discounts on request. The pass covers Pro, Green, Culture Hub and the Business Hubs, not ADE Lab. source
Back to the roles

Chapter 5 of 7 · Role guide

Promoters & venues

Meet the agents. Scout what comes next.

ADE does not book and has no in-house booker; it puts every agent and every rising act in one city for five days. This guide covers both modes: buying (meetings with asks, scouting support slots, the operational panels) and hosting (an official venue partner, a guest list of buyers, a door that works).

At RE:UNION For promoters who book Spanish-speaking artists, or want to, this is the one afternoon the agencies and labels from Spain and Latin America are in one room with their international counterparts. Bring dates and budgets.

Download this chapter PDF · 13 pages · 1.0 MB MB
Add my sessions to my calendar .ics · 14 sessions + RE:UNION
An empty concert venue with seating, lighting rig and a stage prepared for a performance.
Empty venue before doors. Jonathan Marchal

Who it is for

Three promoters go to ADE. Most visitors are the first; read the second before becoming it.

Buying: face time with the agents you book from and the ones you want, a scouting week that shows who is next, and holds that become offers within a week. Hosting: presence in front of the whole industry, once a year, at a price you chose on purpose.

Who it is for
Profile What ADE is for, in this case
Buying Club promoters and festival programmers. Here for agents, support slots and the ticketing, pricing and safety education the conference does well.
Hosting Event companies and collectives putting on a night. Here to be seen by the industry, which only works with an official venue and a guest list.
Local operator Amsterdam venues and promoters for whom ADE is the peak of the year: twelve events for Audio Obscura, sixteen shows in five days for Intercell.
Who it is for
Stage Realistic goal for the week First move
Exploring Understand how the machine books, prices and runs a door. Promoter Hub panels, ADE Green on Friday, one night watched from the door side.
First nights Leave with two agents who know your room and one support act you want. Meet the Event Organisers & Promoters; three agent meetings with dates and budgets.
Building momentum Pin winter and spring; open the summer conversation early. Offers, not catch-ups; scout the "invites" nights for next year's headliners.
Established An official night that is a place, and the relationships that keep it full. Venue partner by January, Festival Fund by e-mail, a guest list of buyers and media.

Numbers that shape your week

What was listed on the official programme on 14 October.

Meet the Event Organisers & Promoters
Wed 11:00 Rosewood. Thirteen promoters listed, from Audio Obscura and Verknipt to ZeeZout and World Club Dome. You are the one being met.
Venue registration
Closed To host an official 2026 event you partner with a registered ADE venue; registration reopens around January.
Pro Pass at your door
Full is full Official venues admit Pro Pass holders within an agreed capacity; Pro Pass hosts and a live access map manage it.
Festival Fund
By e-mail Registered locations only, one application per event; judged on urgency, innovation, diversity, local talent and impact beyond ADE.

Before ADE

Two tracks: buying and hosting. The hosting cycle starts in January; reading this the week before? Start at "One week out".

January · hosting

  • link

Spring · hosting

Summer · hosting

  • link

Summer · buying

September · database opens

  • link

One week out

Your ticks stay in this browser.

Bring

  • Dates, budgets and avails
  • The act you want, the one you'd accept
  • Venue one-sheet with QR
  • Audience context and calendar
  • One event challenge to solve
  • Tickets for the scouting nights

Your week

Fourteen sessions checked on the official programme on 14 October, including the two new Promoter Hub panels. Times and rooms still move: check the listing the morning you go.

Wed 21

  1. 11:00–12:30 Meet The Event Organisers & Promoters Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium Pro Pass
  2. 13:15–14:45 Meet The Agents Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium Pro Pass
  3. 14:15–15:00 Behind the Booking: what artists, managers and promoters really want TicketSwap Global Promoter Hub · RIVVIA, Keizersgracht 264 Pro Pass

Thu 22

  1. 11:15–12:00 Beyond the Numbers: 5 trends reshaping the industry today TicketSwap Global Promoter Hub · RIVVIA, Keizersgracht 264 Pro Pass
  2. 14:30 → early evening RE:UNION · ADE 2026 Q-Factory · Atlantisplein 1, Oost Free · QR pass
  3. 15:30–16:15 The Shrinking Gatekeep: a conversation between artists Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal Pro Pass
  4. 16:45–17:45 30 Years of ADE Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal Pro Pass

Fri 23

  1. 12:30–13:15 Why Humans Still Need Dancefloors? Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal Pro Pass
  2. 13:30–14:15 Creating the Next Generation of Club Promoters (AFEM) Felix Meritis · Husly Lounge Pro Pass
  3. 14:15–15:00 Micro Communities: Connected Locally, Impacting Globally Felix Meritis · Teekenzaal 2 Pro Pass
  4. Time to confirm on the official listing Funding resilient scenes Felix Meritis · ADE Green Pro Pass · no Green day tickets

Sat 24

  1. 13:15–14:00 A Deep Dive into MENA's Thriving Live Music Scene Felix Meritis · Koepelzaal Pro Pass
  2. 13:30–14:15 The Brazil Boom Felix Meritis · Zuilenzaal Pro Pass
  3. 14:30–16:00 Meet the focus-region professionals Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal Pro Pass

Sun 25

  1. 07:00 Sunday–07:00 Monday Keriko Meet Berlage · Oudebrugsteeg 9 Separate festival ticket · check availability

Buyers: meetings in the morning, showcases at night, mixers in between; take notes on every support act. Hosts: be at your door for the first two hours.

  • Wed 21

    Morning
    Badge; Meet the Event Organisers & Promoters 11:00
    Afternoon
    Meet the Agents 13:15; Behind the Booking 14:15 at the Promoter Hub
    Evening and night
    Showcases; note who plays support

  • Thu 22

    Morning
    Promoter Hub trends 11:15; two agent meetings
    Afternoon
    RE:UNION, Q-Factory from 14:30; Gatekeep 15:30; 30 Years 16:45
    Evening and night
    Afro House Summit mixer or a club chosen for its booker

  • Fri 23

    Morning
    Meetings; ADE Green opens at Felix Meritis
    Afternoon
    Dancefloors 12:30; Club Promoters 13:30; Micro Communities 14:15; Funding Under Fire
    Evening and night
    elrow ADE Week or Paradise × Loveland: watch how a brand transfer runs a door

  • Sat 24

    Morning
    Coffee with the week's best agents; the holds list
    Afternoon
    MENA live 13:15 or Brazil Boom 13:30; focus regions 14:30
    Evening and night
    Your own night, or the boat party you are scouting

  • Sun 25

    Morning
    Debrief: cost, attendance, industry attendance
    Afternoon
    Keriko at Meet Berlage if you want one more door to study
    Evening and night
    Holds-to-offers list written before the flight

Sessions for you

Why each one earns a slot, and the access it needs. A saved session is not a ticket.

  • Meet The Event Organisers & Promoters

    Day
    Wed 21
    Time
    11:00–12:30
    Venue
    Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium
    Why go
    You are the ones being met: artists, managers and agents pitching your room. Decide beforehand what you can honestly offer.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Meet The Agents

    Day
    Wed 21
    Time
    13:15–14:45
    Venue
    Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium
    Why go
    Eleven agents in one room, from WME and Bullitt to Anna Agency. Bring offers; they answer offers.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Behind the Booking: what artists, managers and promoters really want

    Day
    Wed 21
    Time
    14:15–15:00
    Venue
    TicketSwap Global Promoter Hub · RIVVIA, Keizersgracht 264
    Why go
    MDLBEAST's head of talent buying, Encode Talent and NOON Agency on what bookers want beyond fees and avails.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Beyond the Numbers: 5 trends reshaping the industry today

    Day
    Thu 22
    Time
    11:15–12:00
    Venue
    TicketSwap Global Promoter Hub · RIVVIA, Keizersgracht 264
    Why go
    TicketSwap's report from 125+ organisers, with Fourvenues (Spain) and Ancienne Belgique: the cost pressure your promoters will raise.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • The Shrinking Gatekeep: a conversation between artists

    Day
    Thu 22
    Time
    15:30–16:15
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal
    Why go
    Novah, SPFDJ, LYZZA and HoneyLuv on who gets booked as agencies and festivals consolidate. Time moved from 15:00.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • 30 Years of ADE

    Day
    Thu 22
    Time
    16:45–17:45
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal
    Why go
    Anna Knaup, Richard Zijlma and Maria Jimenez with Dave Clarke on what thirty editions taught the people who book.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Why Humans Still Need Dancefloors?

    Day
    Fri 23
    Time
    12:30–13:15
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal
    Why go
    Eris Drew, researcher Alice O'Grady and RAUM's Sven Bijma on what a dancefloor is for. ADE Green.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Creating the Next Generation of Club Promoters (AFEM)

    Day
    Fri 23
    Time
    13:30–14:15
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Husly Lounge
    Why go
    AFEM's promoter guide: fair booking and artist relationships, with Encode Talent, AVA and the Gashouder's Raaf Verhoef.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Micro Communities: Connected Locally, Impacting Globally

    Day
    Fri 23
    Time
    14:15–15:00
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Teekenzaal 2
    Why go
    Community builders, including Colombia's Alejandra Gómez, on local connection versus reach: the newcomer's question.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Funding resilient scenes

    Day
    Fri 23
    Time
    Time to confirm on the official listing
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · ADE Green
    Why go
    Funding Under Fire: how scenes in Kyiv, Ramallah and Beirut keep going. ADE Green, Friday; time on the official listing.
    Access
    Pro Pass · no Green day tickets

  • A Deep Dive into MENA's Thriving Live Music Scene

    Day
    Sat 24
    Time
    13:15–14:00
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Koepelzaal
    Why go
    WME's Steve Hogan on festivals and touring across Morocco, Lebanon and the Gulf, and which promoters are active. Clashes with Brazil.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • The Brazil Boom

    Day
    Sat 24
    Time
    13:30–14:15
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Zuilenzaal
    Why go
    The business context behind Brazil's scene, with Spinnin's Natalia Raul; a market many promoters are now routing through.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Meet the focus-region professionals

    Day
    Sat 24
    Time
    14:30–16:00
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal
    Why go
    Professionals from Brazil, Africa and the Middle East; the territories ADE is pushing this year.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Keriko

    Day
    Sun 25
    Time
    07:00 Sunday–07:00 Monday
    Venue
    Meet Berlage · Oudebrugsteeg 9
    Why go
    A 24-hour Latin house event hosted by Spanish and Puerto Rican collectives at Meet Berlage: watch how a collective runs a door.
    Access
    Separate festival ticket · check availability

In the room

Agents respond to offers, not to "let's catch up". Lead with dates, budgets and avails.

In the room
Moment Do this Say or ask
Meet the Event Organisers & Promoters Say what your room is, what you book and when; collect links, promise nothing. Send me one link and your spring avails; I programme in November.
An agent meeting, Andaz Open with the offer: date window, budget range, the act you want and the one you would accept. Which of your artists fits a 600-cap Friday in March, and what would the fee position be?
A showcase, 01:00 Watch the support act and the room; write one line per act before you leave. Who booked the support, and are they touring in spring?
The Promoter Hub Compare your pricing and conversion with the TicketSwap data; ask the Fourvenues team how Spain sells. What did organisers your size change about pricing this year?
Your own door, first two hours Be there. Brief the team to recognise Pro badges without letting the room fill with them. Industry capacity is X; after that it is full for now, with a smile.

Mistakes we keep seeing

Mistakes we keep seeing
Mistake we keep seeing Instead
A first ADE night as an unofficial event with no partner venue. Partner with an official venue; be in the programme and the app, get Pro traffic.
A good party nobody who matters attended. A guest list of agents, labels and journalists, invited in September.
Meetings without asks. Dates, budgets, avails, the act you want and the one you would accept.
Booking safe because Amsterdam clubs do. A visiting promoter is noticed for the booking only they would make.
Underestimating the door. ID checks, Pro Pass capacity, same-day rules; brief the team and be there early.
Skipping ADE Green because it is "not my thing". Routing, costs and funding are decided there; go on Friday.
Holds that never become offers. Offers within a week, while the agent remembers the conversation.

What veterans say

Verbatim, from public interviews, ADE's own editorials and articles; the source is linked on each card.

  • “ADE is always a very, very important moment of the year. We work towards it throughout the whole year.”

    Jeroen Fontein Audio Obscura · NIGHTMAG / Xceed · 2026 source

  • “You can only run sixteen shows in five days if everyone feels seen. That's the only way it works.”

    Denzel Zurburg co-founder, Intercell · ADE editorial · 2025 source

  • “We never want to be headliner-dependent. Sometimes the bigger act plays earlier, and a local closes the night.”

    Stijn Ceelen co-founder, ZeeZout · ADE editorial · 2025 source

  • “We almost always try to book artists at least three times.”

    Christiaan Broedelet booker, ZeeZout · ADE editorial · 2025 source

  • “We don't book anything just to fill a slot.”

    No Art / SONA Worldwide promoters, twelve self-produced ADE shows · ADE editorial · 2025 source

  • “The conversations happening over coffee at Felix Meritis or during a chance encounter at a Business Hub directly translate into the tours, releases, and festivals that will define the next cycle.”

    Damion Pell editor, Decoded Magazine, after ten editions · Decoded · 2025 source

Budget

Five nights from elsewhere in Europe. Planning bands, not quotes; a hosted night is a project budget on top.

Indicative five-night totals using published 2025–26 ranges and the Pro Pass price on the official tickets page on 14 October. Buyers scout more nights than most delegates.

Budget · Promoters & venues
Line Buying trip, one person (Pro Pass) · €2,250–3,500 Team of two, hosting (travel only) · €4,500–7,000
Pass €795 + 3.77% fee (late rate, almost sold out) 2 × €795 + fees; ask ADE about a company discount
Flights / train €150–350 €300–700
Bed, 5 nights €800–1,500 canal ring or De Pijp €1,600–3,000, or a shared apartment
Food and coffee meetings €250–400 €500–800
Transport GVB included with the pass included with the passes
Scouting tickets 3–5 nights, €200–400 €400–800
Hosted night — Project budget: venue, production, artists, hospitality, marketing, Pro Pass capacity; no published benchmarks

What a venue pays ADE to be official, Festival Fund grant sizes and showcase economics are not published. The independents quoted above describe smaller margins, no sponsors and years of relationship-building before the numbers worked.

After ADE

Holds into offers within a week, while agents remember the conversation.

  1. Same night One line per agent and per support act: who, what they offered, what you promised, the date window.
  2. Within 48 h The venue one-sheet and the date window you discussed; one sentence recalling the conversation.
  3. Within a week Holds become offers: date, fee position, production. Agents move on to the next promoter after that.
  4. By January Honest debrief of the night (cost, attendance, industry attendance, what it produced); register the venue for next year.
ADE app or email · within 48 hours

Subject: Wednesday at the Rosewood: [artist] for [month] at [venue]

Hi [name], Good to meet you on Wednesday — thanks for the steer on [artist]'s spring routing. The offer, as discussed: [date window], [venue, capacity], [fee position], [support / production notes]. Venue one-sheet: [link]. If that works, I can hold [two dates] until [date]. Happy to talk through [second artist] as a support for the same night. [Your name], [promoter / venue]

New in 2026 for you

  • New for 2026: Behind the Booking (Wed 21, 14:15, Promoter Hub) puts MDLBEAST's head of international talent buying, Encode Talent and NOON Agency in front of promoters on what artists, managers and agents actually want. source
  • TicketSwap's Global Promoter Hub returns at RIVVIA · The Empress (Keizersgracht 264), with panels on Wednesday and Thursday; its trends report draws on 125+ organisers and features Fourvenues from Spain. source
  • AFEM's Creating the Next Generation of Club Promoters (Fri 23, 13:30, Felix Meritis Husly Lounge) brings AVA, Encode and the Gashouder's programmer to the newcomer's problem. source
  • ADE and VibeLab launch the Nighttime Culture Index at ADE Pro: a public dashboard on the cultural vitality of nightlife in six cities (Amsterdam, Lagos, New York, São Paulo, Seoul, Sydney). Session time on the official programme. source
  • ADE Green takes over Felix Meritis on Friday 23 with a Pro Pass only (no day tickets): Why Humans Still Need Dancefloors, The Road to Low Impact Touring, Funding Under Fire, Meet the Experts of Sustainability & Social Change. source
  • The Festival Fund is for registered festival locations only, one application per event by e-mail, and is "emphatically not a government subsidy". Grant sizes are not published. source
Back to the roles

Chapter 6 of 7 · Role guide

Media & journalists

Find the stories only this week can give you.

ADE is where the industry is in one room for five days: announcements, deals, the state-of-the-industry panels and the interviews you cannot get by email. This guide is for journalists, editors, photographers, broadcasters and podcasters; it turns the week into two or three features you could not write from home, a guide your readers use, a gallery and ten relationships that answer in March.

At RE:UNION For media covering the Spanish-speaking scene, this is the one afternoon its agencies, labels, promoters and artists are in one room with their international counterparts: interviews, a panel and the Local Circuit live.

Download this chapter PDF · 13 pages · 1.0 MB MB
Add my sessions to my calendar .ics · 14 sessions + RE:UNION
Close-up of a black camera with an attached lens.
Camera detail. Markus Winkler

Who it is for

Three kinds of outlet cover ADE. Filmmakers and content creators without an outlet have their own guide.

Two or three features that only exist because the industry was in one room; one guide readers actually use; a gallery; and ten PRs, label managers and artists who answer your emails in March.

Who it is for
Profile What ADE is for, in this case
Journalist or editor Magazine, site, radio or podcast. Here for trade stories by day, sources by night and the interviews that need a room.
Photographer or video crew Here for the gallery and the recap. Access to booths and dancefloors is negotiated with each promoter, in writing.
Broadcaster or streamer Here to go live or record. Needs a quiet place to file, permissions for anything beyond handheld, and a plan for no-phone floors.
Who it is for
Stage Realistic goal for the week First move
First ADE Understand the rhythm; publish one guide and one recap. Three angles, two to four rooms a night, file daily.
Regular Two features from the conference Q&As; ten new sources. Insider Knowledge sessions for quotes; the mixer circuit for sources.
Established outlet Exclusives pre-booked through PRs and labels; a photo pass per venue. Interview blocks at PR HQs; camera access agreed with promoters in September.
Broadcaster A live or recorded programme that sounds like the week. Studio or quiet room booked; permits for rigs; artists confirmed with their PRs.

Numbers that shape your week

What was listed on the official pages on 14 October.

Meet the Media
Thu 15:45 Rosewood. 25 editors and broadcasters listed, from DJ Mag, Mixmag, Crack, IQ and Pollstar to 3FM, SLAM! and Capital Dance. You are the one being met; delegates apply by 16 Oct.
Press accreditation
Closed 7 Sep Journalists only; PR agents, bookers and promoters are refused. Prepare August 2027 with a coverage plan tied to the themes.
Press pass ≠ photo pass
Ask the promoter ADE cannot arrange booth or backstage access; agree camera access with each venue in writing. Several floors are no-phone.
Rooms a night
2–4 Not eight. Single tickets for the must-cover nights; the badge for the rest, arriving early.

Before ADE

The accreditation window is early September. Reading this the week before? Start at "One week out" and diary August for 2027.

August · accreditation

  • link

September · the PR wave

October · pre-write

  • link

One week out

Your ticks stay in this browser.

Bring

  • Three angles, written down
  • Interview list with PR contacts
  • Card with a QR to the outlet
  • Camera permissions, in writing
  • Pre-written guide skeleton
  • Tickets for the must-cover nights

Your week

Fourteen items checked on the official programme on 14 October, including Meet the Media and the grime documentary premiere. Times and rooms still move: check the listing the morning you go.

All week · 21–25 Oct

Wed 21

  1. 12:45–13:30 Music & Machines: artists across generations Rosewood · Ballroom Pro Pass

Thu 22

  1. 12:15–13:00 Spotify | Essential Insider Knowledge Felix Meritis · Zuilenzaal Pro Pass
  2. 13:45–16:30 The Chorus Showcase | ADE Startup Class of ’26 Felix Meritis · Concertzaal Pro Pass
  3. 14:00–19:00 Afro House Summit LuminAir · Oosterdoksstraat 4, level 11 Guest list · registration required
  4. 14:30 → early evening RE:UNION · ADE 2026 Q-Factory · Atlantisplein 1, Oost Free · QR pass
  5. 15:30–16:15 The Shrinking Gatekeep: a conversation between artists Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal Pro Pass
  6. 15:45–17:15 Meet the Media Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium Pro Pass
  7. 16:45–17:45 30 Years of ADE Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal Pro Pass

Fri 23

  1. 12:30–13:15 Why Humans Still Need Dancefloors? Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal Pro Pass
  2. 13:45–14:45 Artists on AI, A No-BS Roundtable Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal Pro Pass
  3. 14:15–15:00 Micro Communities: Connected Locally, Impacting Globally Felix Meritis · Teekenzaal 2 Pro Pass
  4. 19:45–22:00 Ongepolijst: 20 years of grime in the Netherlands (film premiere & drinks) Het Ketelhuis · Zaal 1, Westergas Check event page · tickets

Sat 24

  1. 13:30–14:00 Culture and Ownership with Cruel Santino Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal Pro Pass
  2. 14:30–16:00 Meet the focus-region professionals Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal Pro Pass

Sun 25

Morning
Recap filed; gallery edited
Afternoon
Keriko at Meet Berlage if the Latin story needs a scene
Evening and night
Home; the thank-you notes start Monday

Days are for trade stories, evenings for sources, nights for two to four rooms. File daily; the stories are perishable, the galleries are not.

  • Wed 21

    Morning
    Badge; interview blocks at PR HQs and label offices
    Afternoon
    Music & Machines 12:45; Business Hub lobbies for sources
    Evening and night
    Jarre at AFAS Live (concert ticket) or two rooms with camera access

  • Thu 22

    Morning
    Spotify 12:15; file the Wednesday story
    Afternoon
    Startups 13:45; RE:UNION, Q-Factory from 14:30; Gatekeep 15:30; Meet the Media 15:45; 30 Years 16:45
    Evening and night
    Afro House Summit mixer; label mixers for sources

  • Fri 23

    Morning
    ADE Green at Felix Meritis; Dancefloors 12:30
    Afternoon
    AI roundtable 13:45; Micro Communities 14:15; file
    Evening and night
    Ongepolijst premiere 19:45 at Het Ketelhuis; one club with arranged access

  • Sat 24

    Morning
    Culture Hub; Het Ei in Westerpark for the picture
    Afternoon
    Santino 13:30; focus regions 14:30
    Evening and night
    The gallery night: pit rules, no flash, first three tracks

  • Sun 25

    Morning
    Recap filed; gallery edited
    Afternoon
    Keriko at Meet Berlage if the Latin story needs a scene
    Evening and night
    Home; the thank-you notes start Monday

Sessions for you

Why each one earns a slot, and the access it needs. A saved session is not a ticket.

  • Music & Machines: artists across generations

    Day
    Wed 21
    Time
    12:45–13:30
    Venue
    Rosewood · Ballroom
    Why go
    Jarre, Armin van Buuren, JakoJako and Lady Starlight in one conversation: quotes on the record for the 30-years story.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Het Ei by Touki Delphine

    Day
    Wed–Sun
    Time
    Public installation · day and night
    Venue
    Westerpark
    Why go
    Touki Delphine's public installation in Westerpark, day and night: the Arts & Culture image of the week, no permission needed.
    Access
    Free public installation

  • Spotify | Essential Insider Knowledge

    Day
    Thu 22
    Time
    12:15–13:00
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Zuilenzaal
    Why go
    Spotify's dance and regional editors on how local scenes reach global listeners. Bring one question.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • The Chorus Showcase | ADE Startup Class of ’26

    Day
    Thu 22
    Time
    13:45–16:30
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Concertzaal
    Why go
    The 2026 startup cohort pitching for three hours: the music-tech stories of next year, with founders in the room.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Afro House Summit

    Day
    Thu 22
    Time
    14:00–19:00
    Venue
    LuminAir · Oosterdoksstraat 4, level 11
    Why go
    Sets, A&R sessions and an industry mixer for the afro house scene. Register for the guest list first.
    Access
    Guest list · registration required

  • The Shrinking Gatekeep: a conversation between artists

    Day
    Thu 22
    Time
    15:30–16:15
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal
    Why go
    Novah, SPFDJ, LYZZA and HoneyLuv on who gets booked as agencies and festivals consolidate. Time moved from 15:00.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Meet the Media

    Day
    Thu 22
    Time
    15:45–17:15
    Venue
    Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium
    Why go
    You are the ones being met: pre-matched one-to-ones with delegates who applied to pitch you. A story-finding tool.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • 30 Years of ADE

    Day
    Thu 22
    Time
    16:45–17:45
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal
    Why go
    Anna Knaup, Richard Zijlma and Maria Jimenez with Dave Clarke on what thirty editions taught the people who book.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Why Humans Still Need Dancefloors?

    Day
    Fri 23
    Time
    12:30–13:15
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal
    Why go
    Eris Drew, researcher Alice O'Grady and RAUM's Sven Bijma on what a dancefloor is for. ADE Green.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Artists on AI, A No-BS Roundtable

    Day
    Fri 23
    Time
    13:45–14:45
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal
    Why go
    Mathame, BT, Portrait XO, Miss Kittin and Terrence Dixon with Dave Clarke. Time moved from 11:00.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Micro Communities: Connected Locally, Impacting Globally

    Day
    Fri 23
    Time
    14:15–15:00
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Teekenzaal 2
    Why go
    Community builders, including Colombia's Alejandra Gómez, on local scenes versus reach: a feature in waiting.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Ongepolijst: 20 years of grime in the Netherlands (film premiere & drinks)

    Day
    Fri 23
    Time
    19:45–22:00
    Venue
    Het Ketelhuis · Zaal 1, Westergas
    Why go
    A documentary premiere with the scene in the room: a culture story nobody else will have on Friday night. Ticketed; 18+.
    Access
    Check event page · tickets

  • Culture and Ownership with Cruel Santino

    Day
    Sat 24
    Time
    13:30–14:00
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal
    Why go
    Cruel Santino on culture and ownership across music, film and fashion: thirty minutes, one strong interview angle.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Meet the focus-region professionals

    Day
    Sat 24
    Time
    14:30–16:00
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal
    Why go
    Professionals from Brazil, Africa and the Middle East: the regions the edition is built around, in one room.
    Access
    Pro Pass

In the room

Insider Knowledge and Q&A formats yield quotes; branded panels rarely do. Sources are made between 17:00 and 01:00.

In the room
Moment Do this Say or ask
Meet the Media, Rosewood Listen for the story, not the pitch; collect links, promise nothing but a reply. What can you tell me that has not already been covered, and who else should I speak to?
An Insider Knowledge Q&A Sit near the front, ask one specific question, record with permission. Can I quote you on that for [outlet]? One follow-up by email this week?
A label mixer, 19:00 Skip the paid dinner; have the one with the A&R who will brief you all year. What changed in your release plan this year that nobody has written about?
A promoter, before the night Agree camera access, zones and the no-phone rule in writing; introduce yourself to the stage manager. First three tracks from the pit, no flash, and I send you the selects by Monday?
Sunday, before the flight Recap and gallery within the week; features within the month while interviews are exclusive. Nothing. File.

Mistakes we keep seeing

Mistakes we keep seeing
Mistake we keep seeing Instead
Applying late, or as a PR or promoter, and being refused. Apply in August, individually, with a coverage plan on the themes.
Covering the week as a fan with a badge. Three angles, two to four rooms a night, something publishable every day.
Assuming the badge means booth or backstage access. Ask each promoter in writing; a press pass is not a photo pass.
Filming on dancefloors where it is prohibited. Shelter, The Loft and RADION enforce it; losing the venue relationship costs a year.
Live-covering everything. A guide before and a recap after are read ten times more.
No thank-you notes. A note to every PR and label manager you met: what you covered, what you want next year.

What veterans say

Verbatim, from public articles and interviews; the source is linked on each card.

  • “…the entire electronic music ecosystem pauses its relentless forward motion and takes stock…”

    Damion Pell editor, Decoded Magazine, after ten editions · Decoded · 2025 source

  • “Don't try to do everything, you can't! It's physically impossible. That's probably the most common mistake.”

    Jan-Willem van de Ven managing director, ADE · Mixmag · 2026 source

  • “ADE is like the Cannes Film Festival: an event where many people share the same passion and help build a great community.”

    Rens Wilderom cultural sociologist, University of Amsterdam · University of Amsterdam · 2024 source

  • “All the over-priced DJ dinners in Amsterdam can't top this.”

    Joshua Glazer on dinner with an A&R instead of a paid seminar · Cuepoint · 2014 source

  • “Step into the now and truly live the moment.”

    Zep Fransen Shelter, on its no-phone dancefloor · Mixmag · 2025 source

  • “Electronic Music's UN Summit… Good Luck Making It To Your 9am Panel.”

    DJ Mag headline and standfirst of its ADE feature · DJ Mag · 2014 source

Budget

Five nights from elsewhere in Europe. Planning bands, not quotes; the pass is free if you are accredited.

Indicative five-night totals using published 2025–26 ranges and the Pro Pass price on the official tickets page on 14 October.

Budget · Media & journalists
Line Accredited journalist (press pass) · €850–1,900 Not accredited (Pro Pass) · €2,150–3,300
Pass €0 with accreditation (Pro benefits minus the bag) €795 + 3.77% fee (late rate, almost sold out)
Flights / train €150–350 €150–350
Bed, 5 nights €500–1,000 hostel, shared flat or Noord €800–1,500 canal ring or De Pijp
Food and coffee meetings €150–300 €250–400
Transport GVB included with the pass GVB included with the pass
Event tickets 2–3 must-cover nights, €120–220 2–3 nights, €120–220
Gear, insurance, permits — Crews: add gear insurance, transport between zones and permits for anything beyond handheld

Drones are effectively out in central Amsterdam because of Schiphol's airspace. A handheld crew needs no permit in public space; rigs, lighting and closures do, with five to ten working days' lead time.

After ADE

Recaps and galleries within the week; features within the month, while the interviews are still exclusive.

  1. Same night File the day's story; back up the cards; one line per source: who, what they said, what they want.
  2. Within the week Recap and gallery published; selects sent to the promoters who gave you access.
  3. Within the month The two or three features, while the interviews are exclusive.
  4. By December A note to every PR and label manager you met: what you covered, what you want next year. Diary August for accreditation.
Email · within the week

Subject: Thursday at the Rosewood: the piece on [angle]

Hi [name], Good to meet you at Meet the Media on Thursday. The [angle] story is running on [date]; here is the draft question list: [three questions]. Could [artist / label head] give me twenty minutes by [date], by call or voice note? I can send the quotes back for checking. Selects from [night], as promised: [link]. [Your name], [outlet]

New in 2026 for you

  • Meet the Media (Thu 22, 15:45–17:15, Rosewood) is now by application: delegates with a Pro Pass apply by 16 October, 23:59 and are pre-matched. 25 media listed, including DJ Mag, Mixmag, Mixmag Brazil, Crack, IQ, Pollstar, VICE, DJSound (Spain), 3FM, SLAM! and Capital Dance. source
  • Press accreditation for 2026 closed on 7 September; passes are strictly for media, journalists and press, and applications from PR agents, bookers or promoters are not considered. Photo packs 2016–2025 and the 30 YEARS brand pack are downloadable from the press page. source
  • The 30th edition's stories: Jean-Michel Jarre as guest of honour with the Oxygène concert at AFAS Live on 21 October and a keynote at ADE Pro; the "30 Years of ADE" talk with Anna Knaup, Richard Zijlma and Maria Jimenez on Thursday. source
  • ADE and VibeLab launch the Nighttime Culture Index at ADE Pro: a public dashboard on the cultural vitality of nightlife in Amsterdam, Lagos, New York, São Paulo, Seoul and Sydney. A data story with six city coordinators to interview. source
  • Ongepolijst, the documentary on twenty years of Dutch grime, premieres on Friday 23 at 19:45 at Het Ketelhuis (Westergas), with drinks and the scene in the room. source
  • Programme completed on 6 October: 3,600+ artists, 1,300+ events, 300+ venues. Pro Pass at the late rate, €795 + 3.77% fee, almost sold out. source
Back to the roles

Chapter 7 of 7 · Role guide

Managers, PR & filmmakers

Make the week work for the artist.

Three roles that work ADE on behalf of someone else's name. The manager runs the artist's week properly: two or three sets, not five, and the meetings that move the next twelve months. The publicist works small and in person, with a Pro Pass, because press passes are for journalists only. The filmmaker pitches months ahead and shoots with written permission.

At RE:UNION For managers and publicists of Spanish-speaking artists, this is the one afternoon the agencies, labels, promoters and media from home are in one room with their international counterparts. The MavelPoint Room gets the artist's profile and press kit ready on site.

Download this chapter PDF · 13 pages · 1.0 MB MB
Add my sessions to my calendar .ics · 14 sessions + RE:UNION
A camera operator holds a professional video rig with an external monitor outdoors.
Camera operator on a location shoot. Kyle Loftus

Who it is for

Three readers, one guide. Managers first, then PR, then filmmakers; the calendar covers all three.

Managers: the meetings that move the next twelve months and an artist still standing on Sunday. PR: ten in-person moments that get covered, not a thousand releases. Filmmakers: a film in the week's programme, or the footage that pays for the trip.

Who it is for
Profile What ADE is for, in this case
Artist manager Here for the agent, label, publisher, sync, DSP and brand conversations, with the artist present only where presence closes something.
PR and publicist Here with a Pro Pass (no press pass for PRs), a small in-person plan and clients who are prepared for Meet the Media.
Filmmaker, videographer, creator Here to shoot with permission or to premiere a film. No open call: pitch Arts & Culture and venue programmers months ahead.
Who it is for
Stage Realistic goal for the week First move
First ADE Understand the formats and the rhythm; leave with ten relationships. Meet the Managers; three 30-second pitch versions; a meeting spreadsheet with travel time.
First artists or clients One agent, one label and one editor conversation that continues in November. Database meetings booked in September; the artist brought only where it closes something.
Building momentum A roster week run as a programme: sets, meetings, press, energy. Mornings without the artist; afternoons in the Meet the… rooms; dinner before every set.
Established Decisions on partners, territories and next year's showcase; a PR HQ that media come to. Interview blocks at a hotel hub; a press dinner for ten; the follow-up owned by the team.

Numbers that shape your week

What was listed on the official pages on 14 October.

Meet the Managers
Fri 12:15 Rosewood. Sixteen managers listed; you are the one being met. Bring the one development problem you can help with.
Press passes for PRs
None Accreditation is strictly for journalists and closed on 7 September; PR agents, bookers and promoters are refused. A publicist needs a Pro Pass.
Meet the Media
Apply by 16 Oct Thu 15:45, Rosewood. Delegates with a Pro Pass apply by 16 October, 23:59 and are pre-matched with 25 outlets. Send the client, prepared.
Film permits
5–10 working days Handheld in public space needs none; rigs, lighting and closures do. Drones are effectively out centrally. Dancefloors: venue OK in writing.

Before ADE

Three tracks. Reading this the week before? Start at "One week out" and diary August for the 2027 accreditation and pitches.

Spring · managers

Spring · filmmakers

August · PR

  • link

September · database opens

September · PR

September · filmmakers

By 16 October

  • link

One week out

  • link

Your ticks stay in this browser.

Bring

  • Artist brief and goals
  • Approved assets, one link
  • Three 30-second pitches
  • Meeting spreadsheet with travel time
  • Written camera permissions
  • Confirmed availability

Your week

Fourteen items checked on the official programme on 14 October. Times and rooms still move: check the listing the morning you go.

Wed 21

  1. 13:15–14:45 Meet The Agents Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium Pro Pass
  2. 14:15–15:00 Behind the Booking: what artists, managers and promoters really want TicketSwap Global Promoter Hub · RIVVIA, Keizersgracht 264 Pro Pass
  3. 15:30–17:00 Meet The Labels & A&Rs Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium Pro Pass

Thu 22

  1. 12:15–13:00 Spotify | Essential Insider Knowledge Felix Meritis · Zuilenzaal Pro Pass
  2. 13:15–14:45 Meet The DSP’s & Distributors Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium Pro Pass
  3. 14:30 → early evening RE:UNION · ADE 2026 Q-Factory · Atlantisplein 1, Oost Free · QR pass
  4. 15:30–16:15 The Shrinking Gatekeep: a conversation between artists Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal Pro Pass
  5. 15:45–17:15 Meet the Media Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium Pro Pass
  6. 16:45–17:45 30 Years of ADE Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal Pro Pass

Fri 23

  1. 12:15–13:45 Meet The Managers Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium Pro Pass
  2. 13:45–14:45 Artists on AI, A No-BS Roundtable Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal Pro Pass
  3. 14:30–16:00 Meet the Publishers Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium Pro Pass
  4. 16:15–17:00 Building an independent career with Mau P Rosewood · Ballroom Pro Pass
  5. 19:45–22:00 Ongepolijst: 20 years of grime in the Netherlands (film premiere & drinks) Het Ketelhuis · Zaal 1, Westergas Check event page · tickets

Sat 24

  1. 13:30–14:00 Culture and Ownership with Cruel Santino Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal Pro Pass

Sun 25

Morning
Debrief with the artist: what was agreed, who owns it, by when
Afternoon
Travel
Evening and night
The follow-up list is the manager's; it starts Monday

Mornings: your meetings, without the artist. Afternoons: the Meet the… rooms and the hubs. Evenings: mixers with the artist, briefly. Nights: the sets, with dinner before.

  • Wed 21

    Morning
    Badge; agent and brand meetings without the artist
    Afternoon
    Meet the Agents 13:15; Behind the Booking 14:15; Meet the Labels & A&Rs 15:30
    Evening and night
    Dinner, then the artist's set or the opening night

  • Thu 22

    Morning
    Spotify 12:15; DSP meetings
    Afternoon
    DSPs & Distributors 13:15; RE:UNION, Q-Factory from 14:30; Gatekeep 15:30; Meet the Media 15:45 (send the client); 30 Years 16:45
    Evening and night
    Mixers with the artist, briefly; the artist sleeps

  • Fri 23

    Morning
    Meet the Managers 12:15; PR interview blocks
    Afternoon
    AI roundtable 13:45; Publishers 14:30; Mau P 16:15
    Evening and night
    Ongepolijst premiere 19:45 (filmmakers); the artist's main set

  • Sat 24

    Morning
    B-roll in daylight: Westerpark, Het Ei, the canal ring
    Afternoon
    Santino 13:30; Culture Hub at Felix Meritis
    Evening and night
    The last set; no pitching after midnight

  • Sun 25

    Morning
    Debrief with the artist: what was agreed, who owns it, by when
    Afternoon
    Travel
    Evening and night
    The follow-up list is the manager's; it starts Monday

Sessions for you

Why each one earns a slot, and the access it needs. A saved session is not a ticket.

  • Meet The Agents

    Day
    Wed 21
    Time
    13:15–14:45
    Venue
    Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium
    Why go
    Eleven agents in one room, from WME and Bullitt to Anna Agency. The manager's first conversation of the week.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Behind the Booking: what artists, managers and promoters really want

    Day
    Wed 21
    Time
    14:15–15:00
    Venue
    TicketSwap Global Promoter Hub · RIVVIA, Keizersgracht 264
    Why go
    MDLBEAST's head of talent buying, Encode Talent and NOON Agency on what bookers want beyond fees and avails.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Meet The Labels & A&Rs

    Day
    Wed 21
    Time
    15:30–17:00
    Venue
    Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium
    Why go
    Twelve A&Rs from Sony and Universal to Monstercat and fabric. Bring the artist's one track and the release plan.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Spotify | Essential Insider Knowledge

    Day
    Thu 22
    Time
    12:15–13:00
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Zuilenzaal
    Why go
    Spotify's dance and regional editors on how local scenes reach global listeners. Bring one question.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Meet The DSP’s & Distributors

    Day
    Thu 22
    Time
    13:15–14:45
    Venue
    Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium
    Why go
    Twenty platform and distribution people on the Thursday DSP day. Ask what would make the next release pitchable.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • The Shrinking Gatekeep: a conversation between artists

    Day
    Thu 22
    Time
    15:30–16:15
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal
    Why go
    Novah, SPFDJ, LYZZA and HoneyLuv on who gets booked as agencies and festivals consolidate. Time moved from 15:00.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Meet the Media

    Day
    Thu 22
    Time
    15:45–17:15
    Venue
    Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium
    Why go
    PR: the reversed pitch. Editors sit, delegates are pre-matched; apply by 16 October and send the client with one message.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • 30 Years of ADE

    Day
    Thu 22
    Time
    16:45–17:45
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal
    Why go
    Anna Knaup, Richard Zijlma and Maria Jimenez with Dave Clarke on what thirty editions taught the people who book.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Meet The Managers

    Day
    Fri 23
    Time
    12:15–13:45
    Venue
    Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium
    Why go
    You are the ones being met: sixteen managers across from delegates with development problems. Decide what you can say yes to.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Artists on AI, A No-BS Roundtable

    Day
    Fri 23
    Time
    13:45–14:45
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal
    Why go
    Mathame, BT, Portrait XO, Miss Kittin and Terrence Dixon with Dave Clarke. Time moved from 11:00.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Meet the Publishers

    Day
    Fri 23
    Time
    14:30–16:00
    Venue
    Rosewood · Courtyard/Atrium
    Why go
    Composition rights and catalogue conversations for the artist who writes; only two publishers listed on 14 October, arrive early.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Building an independent career with Mau P

    Day
    Fri 23
    Time
    16:15–17:00
    Venue
    Rosewood · Ballroom
    Why go
    Mau P with his manager, his label and The Pacha Group on building an independent project: the manager's case study.
    Access
    Pro Pass

  • Ongepolijst: 20 years of grime in the Netherlands (film premiere & drinks)

    Day
    Fri 23
    Time
    19:45–22:00
    Venue
    Het Ketelhuis · Zaal 1, Westergas
    Why go
    A documentary premiere with the scene in the room: a culture story nobody else will have on Friday night. Ticketed; 18+.
    Access
    Check event page · tickets

  • Culture and Ownership with Cruel Santino

    Day
    Sat 24
    Time
    13:30–14:00
    Venue
    Felix Meritis · Shaffyzaal
    Why go
    Cruel Santino on culture and ownership across music, film and fashion: the filmmaker's and the manager's crossover brief.
    Access
    Pro Pass

In the room

You are pitched as often as you pitch. Say what the artist needs in one sentence, and what you can offer in the next.

In the room
Moment Do this Say or ask
Meet the Managers, Rosewood Listen for the one development problem you can actually help with; decline the rest kindly. What can this relationship change for the artist over the next six months?
A label or DSP meeting, for the artist One track, the release plan, the story; ask for the specific next step and permission to follow up. What would make this pitchable for you, and when should I send it?
Meet the Media, as the PR Send the client with one clear message and one link; stay out of the queue. What can we tell you that has not already been covered, and who else should we speak to?
A venue programmer, for a shoot Ask months ahead; describe the film, the crew size and the no-phone rule you will respect. A two-person handheld crew, first hour only, no faces on the floor, selects to you by Monday?
Sunday, the debrief Share the agreed action, owner and deadline with the artist and the team. Three things got agreed this week. Here is who does what, by when.

Mistakes we keep seeing

Mistakes we keep seeing
Mistake we keep seeing Instead
Five sets and no meetings. Two or three sets that serve the artist; the meetings that move twelve months.
Bringing the artist to every meeting. Only where presence closes something; protect the work ethic, do not spend it.
Mass releases in the week of 1 September. Small and in person: interview blocks, a dinner for ten, a listening session.
Livestreaming every conversation; posting "big things happening" every twenty minutes. Behind-the-scenes material for the follow-up, posted after the week.
Assuming a press pass covers PRs or filming. Pro Pass for the publicist; written venue OK and permits for the crew.
Filming faces on a dancefloor. Shelter, The Loft and RADION enforce it; losing the venue costs a year.
Leaving the follow-up to the artist. 48 hours, one to four weeks, January: the manager's job.

What veterans say

Verbatim, from public interviews and articles; the source is linked on each card.

  • “An important place for us to get aligned on the year ahead.”

    Jon Sax booking agent, on ADE with manager Leticia van Riel · Mission Makers, recorded at ADE · 2023 source

  • “If you feel like you're hungry, thirsty, or sleepy, you probably should listen to your body.”

    Jan-Willem van de Ven managing director, ADE · Mixmag · 2026 source

  • “Remember: everyone is someone's cousin's mate who "knows people."”

    Decoded Magazine the Decoded ADE survival guide · Decoded · 2025 source

  • “Networking in person helps artists stand out in ways that emails and DMs simply can't.”

    MN2S agency and label services, on ADE 2025 · MN2S · 2025 source

  • “Press trips are still very effective as they enable journalists to experience the event first hand.”

    Nikki McNeill Global Publicity, ADE's long-time PR · shesaid.so · 2023 source

  • “ADE has helped professionalise the dance industry in a way that would never have been possible otherwise.”

    Rens Wilderom cultural sociologist, University of Amsterdam · University of Amsterdam · 2024 source

Budget

Five nights from elsewhere in Europe, for the manager, publicist or filmmaker alone. Planning bands, not quotes; the artist's own costs sit outside.

Indicative five-night totals using published 2025–26 ranges and the Pro Pass price on the official tickets page on 14 October.

Budget · Managers, PR & filmmakers
Line Manager or publicist (Pro Pass) · €2,150–3,300 Filmmaker on the Lab path · €650–1,450
Pass €795 + 3.77% fee (late rate, almost sold out) €0 Lab Discovery (free); €149 On Track if accepted
Flights / train €150–350 €100–250
Bed, 5 nights €800–1,500 canal ring or De Pijp €300–600 hostel, shared flat or Noord
Food and coffee meetings €250–400 €150–250
Transport GVB included with the pass €30–60 (GVB, ferries)
Event tickets 2–3 nights, €120–220 1–2 nights, €50–150
PR moments, gear, permits PR: a dinner for ten or a listening session, budgeted separately Gear insurance, transport between zones and permits for anything beyond handheld; not published

Fees for sets at ADE below headliner level are widely assumed to be low; no published data exists, so agree them case by case. Permit costs vary by location and footprint.

After ADE

The follow-up is the manager's job, not the artist's. The camera is a tool for the follow-up, not the reason for the trip.

  1. Same night One line per conversation: who, what they need, what was promised, who owns it.
  2. Within 48 h The link each contact asked for, with one sentence recalling the conversation; selects to the venues that gave access.
  3. 1–4 weeks The substantive ask: the date, the release, the feature, the premiere. Behind-the-scenes content goes out now, not during the week.
  4. January The check-in, when agents and promoters fill spring and summer; accreditation and Arts & Culture pitches planned for August.
ADE app or email · within 48 hours

Subject: Friday at the Rosewood: [artist], the one track and the plan

Hi [name], Good to meet you at Meet the Managers on Friday — thank you for the steer on [what they said]. As promised, one track and the next six months for [artist]: [private link]. Press kit and dates: [EPK or MavelTree link]. If [the opportunity you discussed] is still open for [quarter], could we take twenty minutes in November? [Two time windows]. [Your name], manager for [artist]

New in 2026 for you

  • Meet the Managers (Fri 23, 12:15–13:45, Rosewood) lists sixteen managers; delegates bring development problems, managers decide what they can say yes to. Open to Pro Pass holders. source
  • Meet the Media (Thu 22, 15:45) is by application this year: delegates with a Pro Pass apply by 16 October, 23:59 and are pre-matched with 25 outlets, from DJ Mag, Mixmag and Crack to 3FM, SLAM! and Capital Dance. source
  • New for 2026: Behind the Booking (Wed 21, 14:15, Promoter Hub) puts MDLBEAST, Encode Talent and NOON Agency in one room on what artists, managers and promoters actually want from each other. source
  • Press accreditation closed on 7 September and is strictly for media, journalists and press; applications from PR agents, bookers or promoters are not considered. Publicists work on a Pro Pass. source
  • Building an independent career with Mau P (Fri 23, 16:15, Rosewood Ballroom) brings the artist, his manager, his label and The Pacha Group to one table. source
  • For filmmakers: the 2026 Arts & Culture waves (20 August) carried no films, and the grime documentary Ongepolijst was added later for Friday 23 at 19:45 at Het Ketelhuis. Late additions happen; there is no open call. source
Back to the roles

Appendix

Sources

Every source used across the guide, merged and deduplicated.

Official ADE pages · 70

  1. 30 YEARS ADE Pro: what you can find in the different Business Hubs (29 September 2026) amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  2. 30 Years of ADE amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  3. A Deep Dive into MENA's Thriving Live Music Scene amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  4. ADE Arts & Culture 2026, part two (Aug 2026) amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  5. ADE completes programme for 30 YEARS ADE with 3,600+ artists (6 October 2026) amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  6. ADE editorial picks 2025: "invites" nights amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  7. ADE editorial: Intercell's independent rise amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  8. ADE editorial: No Art's vision is built on trust and risk amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  9. ADE editorial: ZeeZout's independent route amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  10. ADE editorial: Zwart Goud amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  11. ADE FAQ and contact amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  12. ADE Festival Fund amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  13. ADE Green programme complete (10 September 2026) amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  14. ADE Info & Ticket Desks amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  15. ADE Lab amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  16. ADE Lab finalizes On Track program (12 October 2026) amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  17. ADE Lab On Track amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  18. ADE Lab On Track drops its first program (9 September 2026) amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  19. ADE Meeting rooms 2026 amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  20. ADE Network & Connect amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  21. ADE news: 30 YEARS ADE and Jean-Michel Jarre as guest of honour amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  22. ADE news: Armada Music's ADE 2024 programme amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  23. ADE news: Darude, there are no shortcuts (16 October 2023) amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  24. ADE news: Drop your demos at ADE Lab (14 October 2025) amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  25. ADE news: LUXE, 'I want to break down barriers' (4 December 2024) amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  26. ADE news: Narciss, 'Don't sell yourself out' (26 November 2024) amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  27. ADE news: PIV Records' A'DAM Tower takeover (2024) amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  28. ADE news: Saoirse on building community (2023) amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  29. ADE news: stay vaag wins Demolition XXVII (2 December 2024) amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  30. ADE Press page amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  31. ADE Pro 2026 programme complete (1 October 2026) amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  32. ADE Pro announces major new wave with Tinie Tempah, Troy Carter, Believe, SoundCloud (26 August 2026) amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  33. ADE Pro expands its 'Meet the…' sessions (18 June 2026) amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  34. ADE Pro themes 2026 amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  35. ADE tickets: Attend ADE 2026 amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  36. ADE × VibeLab: Nighttime Culture Index amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  37. Afro House Summit 2026 amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  38. Artists on AI, A No-BS Roundtable amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  39. Bandcamp | Essential Insider Knowledge amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  40. Behind the Booking: What Artist, Managers and Promoters Really Want amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  41. Beyond the Numbers: 5 Trends Reshaping the Industry Today (TicketSwap) amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  42. BMIM | Meet the Sync Pros 2026 amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  43. Creating The Next Generation of Club Promoters (AFEM) amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  44. Culture and Ownership: a conversation with Cruel Santino amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  45. Demolition XXIX amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  46. Film premiere: 20 years of grime in the Netherlands amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  47. Het Ei by Touki Delphine amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  48. How to Become an Independent Powerhouse with Mau P amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  49. Jean-Michel Jarre at AFAS Live amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  50. Jägermeister talk on micro communities amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  51. Keriko amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  52. Masterclass | Your Unique Climate Impact amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  53. Meet the Agents 2026 amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  54. Meet the DSPs & Distributors 2026 amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  55. Meet the Event Organisers & Promoters 2026 amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  56. Meet the Labels & A&Rs 2026 amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  57. Meet The Makers | Arturia at MIDI Amsterdam amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  58. Meet the Managers 2026 amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  59. Meet the Media 2026 amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  60. Meet the Professionals from the Focus Regions amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  61. Meet the Publishers 2026 amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  62. Music & Machines: a conversation between artists from different generations amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  63. SoundCloud and ADE: empowering the next generation (21 September 2026) amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  64. SoundCloud | Essential Insider Knowledge amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  65. Spotify | Essential Insider Knowledge amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  66. The Brazil Boom amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  67. The Chorus Showcase, ADE Startup Class of '26 amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  68. The Shrinking Gatekeep: a conversation between artists amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  69. TicketSwap's Global Promoter Hub (17 September 2026) amsterdam-dance-event.nl
  70. Why Humans Still Need Dancefloors? amsterdam-dance-event.nl

Interviews, articles and guides · 41

  1. ADE 2026 press accreditation form docs.google.com
  2. AFEM: activities at ADE 2025 associationforelectronicmusic.org
  3. Beatportal: DTLA × Purple Tea Records showcase (2025) beatportal.com
  4. Billboard 2022: ADE organisers interview (Meindert Kennis on ADE Lab) billboard.com
  5. Billboard: seven takeaways from ADE 2025 (Yahoo syndication) yahoo.com
  6. Billboard: what we learned at ADE 2023 billboard.com
  7. Cuepoint: six takeaways from ADE (2014) medium.com
  8. CULTR: essential panels 2025 cultr.com
  9. CULTR: what a week at Amsterdam Dance Event looks like (November 2024) cultr.com
  10. Decoded: the ADE survival guide (Aug 2025) decodedmagazine.com
  11. Decoded: why Amsterdam Dance Event still matters, reflections after a decade (Damion Pell, October 2025) decodedmagazine.com
  12. DJ Mag: 20 years of Armada Music djmag.com
  13. DJ Mag: Electronic Music's UN Summit (2014) top100djs.djmag.com
  14. DJ Mag: meet the emerging DJs playing ADE 2025 djmag.com
  15. EDM.com: ADE 2023 parties, panels and pro tips edm.com
  16. Electrofans: JP Lantieri's ADE tips (2024) electrofans.com
  17. elrow ADE Week 2026, Kromhouthal elrow.com
  18. Gigwise: 9 things we learned at ADE 2018 gigwise.com
  19. If It Ain't Dutch: Amsterdam nightlife etiquette ifitaintdutchitaintmuch.com
  20. Keyi Magazine: ADE conference 2024 keyimagazine.com
  21. Melkweg: ADE film programme 2024 melkweg.nl
  22. Michiel Ton: festival photography tips michielton.com
  23. Mission Makers: Leticia van Riel and Jon Sax, recorded at ADE (2023) mission-makers.com
  24. Mission Makers: Simon Clarkson, Primary Talent (January 2025) mission-makers.com
  25. Mixmag: Amsterdam's A'DAM Tower encourages a no-phone dancefloor (Oct 2025) mixmag.net
  26. Mixmag: industry insider interview with Jan-Willem van de Ven (Sep 2026) mixmag.net
  27. MN2S: ADE interview with Sharron Elkabas (2014) mn2s.com
  28. MN2S: Amsterdam, the mecca of electronic music (Oct 2025) mn2s.com
  29. Motion One: filming permits in the Netherlands motionone.eu
  30. NIGHTMAG / Xceed: Audio Obscura interview (Jan 2026) xceed.me
  31. NL Times 2023: same-day ticket sales ban nltimes.nl
  32. NOS: Van vakbeurs tot dansfestijn (Anna Knaup, October 2025) nos.nl
  33. RA: ADE 2024 guide ra.co
  34. shesaid.so: member spotlight Nikki McNeill (2023) shesaid.so
  35. Toolroom Academy: the do's and don'ts of demo submissions toolroomacademy.com
  36. Toolroom Academy: the role of booking agents toolroomacademy.com
  37. TripProf: ADE 2026 budget guide tripprof.com
  38. UKF: ADE diary, day 1 (2015) ukf.com
  39. University of Amsterdam: ADE and the rise of dance (Rens Wilderom, Oct 2024) uva.nl
  40. Vice/Thump: 20 years on, how important is ADE? vice.com
  41. We Are Crossfader: a beginner's guide to ADE (2019) wearecrossfader.co.uk

Credits

Get the most from ADE 2026 is written and published by MavelPoint, career tools for electronic music artists.

Programme details checked against the official ADE listing on 14 October 2026. Times and rooms move: check the listing the morning you go.

Quotes are verbatim from public interviews and articles, listed with every other source below.

The map is schematic: positions are projected from real coordinates.

Photos from Unsplash: Annie Spratt, Barbara Burgess, Jonathan Marchal, Kyle Loftus, Markus Winkler, Mykyta Kravčenko, Nadia Sitova, Pieter van de Sande.

ADE and Amsterdam Dance Event are trademarks of their owner; this guide is independent of the ADE organisation.

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