Transmissions NYC: Plugging In To The Electronic Music Sector (By AFEM & RA) Free w/ RSVP

About

As part of NY Music Month, an initiative of the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media & Entertainment, Transmissions NYC is a half-day summit exploring the forces shaping the future of electronic music culture and business. Presented by the Association for Electronic Music (AFEM) and Resident Advisor, the event brings together record labels, artists, nightlife operators, technologists, and policymakers for an afternoon of forward-thinking conversation and industry connection. Through three curated panels and a closing networking mixer, Transmissions NYC will explore some of the most pressing issues facing the dance music ecosystem today: the future of independent labels in a consolidating market, the evolving realities of NYC nightlife, and the growing influence of AI across music creation, rights, and monetization. Rooted in the local electronic music community, the program is designed to spark collaboration, generate new ideas, and create meaningful dialogue around how the industry can evolve while protecting the culture that drives it. This event is free to attend. RSVP does not guarantee entry. Please arrive early as we expect the venue to quickly reach capacity. Panel Sessions: Staying Alive: How Indie Labels Are Approaching Change Independent labels are navigating mounting pressures - from AI flooding platforms and diluting royalties to increased competition from major catalog acquisitions. As the landscape shifts, many are fighting to maintain ownership, identity, and independence. Hear from pioneers who’ve scaled underground movements into global cultural forces, exploring how they’ve stayed innovative through seismic shifts in sound, technology, and audience behavior. How are indie labels addressing these structural challenges while still maintaining independence in a market that increasingly seems to work against them? Moderator: Alyssa Vera (Association For Electronic Music) Panelists: Laura Lyons (XL / Young), Aaron Schultz (Bastard Jazz) Machine Music: An Industry View On AI AI is actively shaping how electronic music is made, shared, and monetized. How can artists build sustainable income streams with AI while also protecting their work? Grounded in AFEM’s AI Principles, the conversation unpacks what ethical AI usage should look like–from consent and licensing to attribution and compensation. The focus isn’t whether AI belongs in the culture, but how people behind the culture are setting the terms. Moderator: Nyshka Chandran (Resident Advisor) Panelists: Kurosh Nasseri (Association For Electronic Music), Rithik Kundo (Joker Deck Ventures), Heidi Sabertooth (Synth Library NYC) Last Call: The State Of NYC Club Culture Rising operating costs, evolving audience behaviors, influence from global brands, high-profile acquisitions and the closure of longstanding venues are reshaping New York nightlife. As the city’s dancefloor ecosystem undergoes rapid transformation, where does club culture stand today and where is it headed next? What will it take to sustain, protect, and evolve the club scene? Moderator: Lauren Murada (Resident Advisor) Panelists: Jeffrey Garcia (NYC Office of Nightlife), Rami Haykal-Manning (Elsewhere), Ladyfag (L3LF Productions / LadyLand) Doors at 2:30pm