Joining the discussion:
Eszter Décsy
Artist Manager, Consultant
Corner Art Management / EEnlarge Europe
Artist manager and founder of Corner Art Management, an edgy, forward thinking music management, consulting and label company. She started as a music journalist by founding an online magazine, worked for advocacy associations such as the Music Hungary Association and the Hungarian Indie Label Association, and, besides many other things, she founded EEnlarge Europe, a grassroots music venue hub and knowledge sharing project, that connected 19 grassroots venues across five countries in the CEE region. Her particular interest lies in the concept of music cities and music industry policies.
Lena Ingwersen
Managing Director
Music Cities Network e.V.
Lena Ingwersen holds a Master’s degree in Cultural and Media Management and is Managing Director of the Music Cities Network (MCN), a transnational non-profit strengthening music ecosystems through policy innovation and global collaboration. With roots in subcultural art and festival management, she bridges grassroots practice with strategic cultural governance.
She works at the intersection of music, urban development and cultural diplomacy, positioning cities as key actors in Europe’s soft power landscape. Alongside her policy work, Lena also works as value-based coach, supporting individuals and organisations in aligning purpose, strategy and leadership, and bringing this perspective into her work with cultural ecosystems and stakeholders. In parallel, she performs internationally as DJ Lej, maintaining an active connection to artistic practice.
Based in Berlin, Lena connects local music communities with European and global frameworks to build resilient and sustainable music cities.
Jana Janulíková
CEO
TIC BRNO, contributory organisation
Jana Janulíková has been connecting Brno, culture and marketing for more than twenty years. She began her career at the National Theatre Brno, where she headed marketing for the opera, and also gained experience in the non-profit sector with Opera na cestách and Opus musicum.
Since 2015, she has been the Director of TIC BRNO, working with her team to transform it into a confident and dynamic city agency behind numerous projects, events and campaigns that have helped shape Brno’s contemporary brand and identity.
TIC BRNO’s projects have received around fifty national and international awards, and Brno was named European Capital of Christmas 2024. In 2025, Jana Janulíková also received the Leader of the Year award at the Czech Smart City Awards, recognising her long-term contribution to Brno’s development and her ability to bring together people, creativity and the city.
She also shares her experience with students as an external lecturer at the Janáček Academy of Performing Arts (JAMU) and regularly speaks at professional conferences focusing on culture, marketing and tourism.
Nils Fischer
Specialist Representative for Nighttime Culture
City of Leipzig
Since 2021 Nils has been the Specialist Representative for Nighttime Culture of the City of Leipzig. As part of the administrative side of the Embassy of Night Leipzig, he is the interface between the nighttime culture and the administration.
He acts as a door opener, as a translator, initiator and mediator of projects that contribute to the sustainable development of nighttime culture in Leipzig. He is member of the Kulturpolitische Gesellschaft and was a representative of the nationwide interest group Nacht Konsil from 2022 to 2024.
Jonathan Bennett
Head of School: Music, Media and Culture
Edinburgh College
Jonathan Bennett is Head of School for Music, Media and Culture at Edinburgh College, one of Scotland’s largest creative industry education providers. His work across education, industry and civic partnerships focuses on widening access and creating opportunities for the next generation of creative talent, while supporting the growth of people, skills and the wider sector.
With experience contributing to cultural strategy development across the UK, he has recently supported Edinburgh’s Music Strategy and engagement with the global Music Cities Network. Originally trained as a jazz pianist and composer, Jonathan’s background spans performance, production and music for media. Today, he is passionate about connecting education, culture and industry to help creative ecosystems thrive.
Gabija Liaugminaitė
Project manager
Vilnius Night Office
Gabija is a Project Manager at the Vilnius Night Office, where she works at the intersection of culture, nightlife, and urban collaboration. A dedicated advocate for independent music, she serves on the board of the Music Cities Network and is a regular contributor to local community radio.
Gabija curates a flagship project "Dainyklos", supporting grassroots music venues, providing the strategic and operational help needed for independent spaces to remain sustainable and vibrant. Her work bridges the gap between venues, local communities, and the municipality through practical collaboration, clear communication, and the implementation of safer nightlife standards across Vilnius.
András Süli
senior cultural manager and festival organizer
City of Debrecen
I’m a senior cultural manager and festival organizer from Debrecen (HU), with strong expertise in artistic curation, music festival management, booking and promotion, professional networking, EU and local projects & grants.
Our company affiliated with the University of Debrecen runs Campus Festival in the city, which is the second biggest open-air music event in Hungary.