News: A to B @ Sunderland City Hall

Sunderland’s music community comes together on Saturday 20th June as A to B, a brand-new free conference for early‑career musicians, takes over City Hall with a full day of panels, workshops and live music.

Led by Sunderland Music City, We Make Culture, Music Connects Sunderland and The Bunker, the event promises a practical, inspiring deep‑dive into the industry. Grammy‑winning mixing engineer Eduardo De La Paz leads an interactive session unpacking mixes for Noel Gallagher, Self Esteem and New Order.

Across the day, artists can explore the realities of building a career in 2026 — from the role of social media to life as a touring session musician, alongside guidance on getting music placed in TV and film, all delivered by professionals with strong regional roots. Workshops range from hands‑on DJ sessions to practical skill‑building, while live performances and a pop‑up Roker Records store keep the atmosphere buzzing.

The conference sits within Sunderland’s wider Summit Week as the city hosts the global Music Cities Network Summer Summit, marking the finale of its Year of Music.

Michelle Daurat CEO of Sunderland Music City said, “This conference day is about giving people genuine access to the music industry. They’ll hear directly from world-class professionals, building connections, and developing practical skills. We want attendees to leave not just inspired, but with real insight into how the industry works and how they can find their place within it.”

Eddie Scott, Producer and Programme Lead at We Make Culture adds, “We work with emerging musicians and artists every day, either through our community music projects or via our numerous progression programmes, so we’ve taken on a lot of feedback about how an event like this can be engaging, worthwhile and provide real value to the people it’s there for. A to B really aligns with the continued work we have been doing in the city as a member of the PRS Talent Development Network and this feels like a fantastic opportunity to cultivate all of that into one amazing day!”

A to B is free and open to anyone aged 16+, Tickets are available here.