The global meeting place for performing arts on screen
From 14 to 18 February 2026, Berlin will once again host the Avant Première Music + Media Market, the world’s leading professional gathering dedicated to performing arts on screen. Taking place at the Scandic Hotel Potsdamer Platz, the event brings together the international cultural broadcasting community for five days of screenings, conferences and networking.
Organised by the IMZ International Music + Media Centre, a global network founded under UNESCO’s aegis in 1961, Avant Première has established itself as the annual meeting point for broadcasters, producers, distributors, artists and cultural institutions working at the intersection of performing arts and media. Each year, more than 600 professionals from over 330 organisations and more than 40 countries attend the market.
At the core of the event are the Avant Première Screenings, which remain the beating heart of the market. These daily showcases present the latest productions from the international audiovisual performing arts sector and together form the most comprehensive annual previews of the field. In 2026, more than 60 companies will introduce their newest films through curated five to twelve-minute showreels, offering a concise overview of upcoming music and dance productions intended for broadcast, digital platforms and cinemas.
The Special Screenings + Market Screenings present selected full-length films with the artists themselves in attendance. With celebrated names such as Brigitte Fassbaender, Louis Philippson, Kirill Gerstein and Aigul Akhmetshina attending in person, the programme offers audiences an exceptional chance to experience the stories behind the screen and meet the artists shaping today’s classical music scene.
The market is accompanied by an extensive conference programme, structured into thematic segments addressing the most pressing questions facing the sector today. Topics range from public service media commissioning and programming strategies to the reimagining of opera in the digital age, as well as sessions on multiplatform production and cinematic approaches to filming music and dance.
A dedicated Innovation Focus explores the growing impact of artificial intelligence, examining issues such as copyright, content generation and the ethical challenges emerging from new technologies.
Further highlights include two presentational formats designed to support international collaboration: the IMZ Performing Arts Documentary Pitching Session, where filmmakers present new documentary projects to commissioning editors, and the Distributor Spotlight, which showcases curated catalogues and upcoming titles from leading international distributors.
Beyond its formal programme, Avant Première is known for its strong networking focus, offering structured matchmaking sessions like the One-on-One: Meet the Buyers, alongside informal encounters during evening events and receptions.
With its unique combination of screenings, conference discussions and international exchange, Avant Première Music + Media Market Berlin 2026 continues to play a key role in strengthening the visibility of performing arts on screen and in shaping how cultural content reaches audiences worldwide.
To find out more and to register, visit event.avant-premiere.net
