The Shows of India Conclave 2026 took place on May 1 and 2 at The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel, New Delhi, bringing together stakeholders from across India’s live entertainment and experiential ecosystem. The platform continues to serve as a meeting ground for conversations around concerts, festivals, intellectual properties, and cultural experiences.

The 2026 edition marked the sixth iteration of the conclave, featuring participation from over 100 speakers across event agencies, promoters, production specialists, and brand stakeholders. The programme included keynotes, panel discussions, and curated formats such as Lions of Live and The Big Fight, alongside dedicated spaces like the Deal Corner aimed at facilitating business conversations and partnerships.

The conclave also integrated multiple industry-facing segments including Sponsorship and Marketing Honours, Government and Ministry Connect, and Global Live Honours, reflecting the expanding intersection of live entertainment with policy, branding, and international markets. An expo format, live performances, and a networking-led environment further enabled on-ground engagement across stakeholders.

It also included the WOW Live Awards, alongside recognition-led initiatives such as the IP, Festival and Concert A-List and A-List Magazines. The 2026 edition featured over 120 awards presented across categories, recognising work across India’s live events ecosystem.

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HIghlights from Panels and Discussions

Several sessions at the Shows of India Conclave 2026 offered insight into the structural and financial realities of India’s live entertainment ecosystem.

During a discussion on infrastructure and policy, Tanuja Pandey, Advisor at the Department of Tourism, Maharashtra, highlighted the state’s intent to support large-scale live entertainment infrastructure. She noted that Maharashtra Tourism is open to proposals for arena-scale developments comparable to global venues such as The O2 Arena, with potential support including land allocation and subsidies up to 30 percent plus GST benefits. Locations such as Karjat and areas near Navi Mumbai Airport were indicated as potential zones where such developments could be explored.

In the session titled The Big Fight: Artist Managers vs Promoters, Shoven Shah, Founder and CEO of TribeVibe Entertainment, pointed to the financial imbalance in multi-city touring. He noted that while tours often span up to ten cities, profitability remains concentrated in metro markets, with revenues from these cities offsetting losses incurred elsewhere, resulting in limited overall margins.

Adding to this, Mohit Bijlani, Co-Founder of Team Innovation, explained that artist bookings are often trend-driven, with tours typically structured across multiple cities and requiring a gap of approximately 18 months before a market can be revisited effectively.

The conclave also recognised industry contributions, with Daler Mehndi being honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award as a global pop icon. A pioneer of Indian pop and bhangra, his influence continues to shape live music culture across generations.

A fireside conversation on Women in Live, featuring Upneet Bhatia and moderated by Sushma Gaikwad, addressed the evolving role of women in the industry. 

Another key session, Festival Economy: Building, Scaling and Valuation of Live IPs, presented by GIGX, focused on the long-term sustainability of festival properties. The panel featured Akshat Kumar of WMS Entertainment, Gareth Eswin Thomas of Zee Live, Rahul Gomes of Marquee Tourism & Events, Roshan Netalkar of Swordfish Events & Entertainment, Siddharth Anand Kumar of Saregama India, and VG Jairam of Hyperlink Brand Solutions. The session was moderated by Hrishikesh Kannan of Radio One Network.

The panel explored the balance between creative vision and financial viability, referencing formats such as Mahindra Blues Festival, Echoes of Earth, and India Cocktail Week, while also addressing valuation pressures and growth challenges as live IPs scale.

As India’s live entertainment sector continues to expand across concerts, festivals, and brand-led experiences, Shows of India Conclave 2026 reinforces its role as a recurring industry platform for collaboration and dialogue, with GIGX as the Co-Powered By partner for the 2026 edition.