International Music Summit Ibiza celebrates its tenth anniversary

“We wanted to put a professional face to the island of Ibiza, the global dance music destination that defined our genre. We ended up focusing on the world. From Los Angeles to Shanghai, International Music Summit has reached a key landmark in its lifespan and we can’t wait to celebrate this decade by looking forwards, not back. The genre has exploded during our ten years and we’re happy to have grown around the world in parallel.”

Ben Turner, co-founder, International Music Summit (IMS)

Inspiring words from one of the co-founders of a conference that has gone from strength to strength and will next year celebrate a massive milestone – its 10th anniversary. IMS Ibiza will once again bring in renowned artists and leading industry figures for inspiring debates and one-on-one discussions on the music industry. The 10th anniversary of IMS will take place at Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza between May 24th and May 26th.

IMS Ibiza is the three-day inspirational and educational platform held annually in the dance music capital. A wide spectrum of electronic music industry professionals participate in a series of talks, interactive workshops, intimate networking opportunities, inspiring dinners and club events led by skilled experts, experienced business minds and talented artists. IMS sets out to educate, inspire and encourage the sharing of new ideas and 2017 marks a decade of dynamic change in the sector and provides a theme for this year’s most engaging debates.

Founded by electronic music industry’s most respected individuals including Ben Turner, BBC Radio 1’s Pete Tong MBE, and Ibiza heavyweights, Danny Whittle, Mark Netto and Simeon Friend, participants and curators alike, they all share a passion for electronic dance music and culture and are invested in shaping its future. The curators invite the most relevant, candid and thought-provoking speakers with participants from all around the world – providing a tangible opportunity to connect and learn.

IMS speakers over the decade have included David Lynch, Quincy Jones, Chuck D, P.Diddy plus every major DJ on the planet. The founders of YouTube, Instagram and Twitter have all spoken. Nile Rodgers and Giorgio Moroder made the first Daft Punk collaboration announcement on the stage at IMS. Lynch’s recent music career was revealed at this event in Ibiza. It was the Ibiza delegates who supported IMS partner Ben Turner’s vision to take IMS a step further, to create the much-needed global trade body AFEM: Association for Electronic Music. The annual IMS Business Report also helped measure the global value of electronic music for delegates to use to win deals and, in many cases, sell companies. IMS founding partner Pioneer DJ have also been integral to the event’s success with continued products revealed at the event, and critical industry products like KUVO were conceived from discussions at the IMS Ibiza event.

IMS Ibiza takes place during the island’s opening season week, with a multitude of high profile events in iconic venues including Pacha, DC10, Amnesia and Ushuaia featuring the world’s biggest DJs. This year there is a return of the ‘Back2Live‘ event – a special and unique showcase that celebrates the crossover between electronic and live music.  There is also the annual IMS Legends Dinner to honort hose that have left a legacy on the culture and industry. Previous award winners include Nile Rodgers, Fatboy Slim, Sven Vath, Carl Cox and Pepe Roselló, Founder of Space Ibiza.

There is of course a fitting Grand Finale, offering the opportunity to dance in one of the most unique locations in the world – a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Dalt Villa. Undoubtedly a rare and alternative opportunity to dance on and enjoy the 2500-year-old castle. Previous headliners have included Carl Cox, Solomun, Sven Vath, Rudimental and Pete Tong.

To be a part of a monumental 10th anniversary of IMS Ibiza go to the official website and check out the highlights of last year’s massive edition of the conference right here: