Change the Beat Makes London Debut at fabric, Bringing 40+ Industry Figures and Brands Together
Change the Beat will make its London debut at fabric on Thursday, October 15, bringing more than 40 artists, industry leaders and organisations together for a full day and night dedicated to access, opportunity and representation in electronic music.
From 3PM to 3AM, the event will transform fabric into a meeting point for artists and the wider UK electronic music industry, combining practical industry panels, networking, live performance, photography and a late-night club programme.
Founded by Sydney Blu, Change the Beat is a global non-profit organisation focused on supporting women and gender-expansive artists, with the London event designed to create direct connections between emerging talent and the people shaping the industry.
Inside the Business of Electronic Music
The daytime programme, hosted by Sunita Dhaliwal of The Everyday Agency, will feature three panels addressing some of the most important questions facing artists attempting to build sustainable careers.
How to Get Booked as a DJ in London, moderated by Katie Knight, will feature Alex Holland of Broadwick Live, Martha Bolton of Not Bad For A Girl, Pete Jordan of Junction 2 / LWE and Steven Braines of HE.SHE.THEY.
How to Get Signed to an A-List Dance Label, moderated by Sydney Blu, brings together Andy Henderson of Southern Fried / Knee Deep In Sound, Chris Goss of Hospital Records, Miles Shackleton of Toolroom and Daniel Curpen of Anjunadeep.
The final discussion, How to Get Representation: Managers & Agents, will be moderated by Finlay Johnson and feature Frances Shillito of Night Department, Kal Jhugroo of CAA, Shanae Dennis of The Team and Lucy Harrower of Frame Artists.
Rather than focusing solely on inspiration, the sessions are built around practical knowledge: bookings, A&R, labels, management and agency representation, giving artists the opportunity to hear directly from professionals actively working within the UK and international dance music business.
“Bringing Change the Beat to fabric is a huge moment for us,” says Sydney Blu, Founder of Change the Beat. “We’ve built this event around what we believe artists genuinely need — access to the people shaping the industry, honest conversations about how it works, and real opportunities to build relationships.”
From Networking to the Dancefloor
Between 7PM and 10PM, the Change the Beat industry mixer will take place in association with AFEM, Pete Tong DJ Academy, Not Bad For A Girl and Beatport, creating an informal environment for artists, labels, agencies, promoters and other industry professionals to connect.
The evening will also provide a platform for emerging talent, with DJs from Not Bad For A Girl and Pete Tong DJ Academy selected to perform alongside N1NJA.
Alongside the networking programme, fabric will host the Women Who Shaped Electronic Music photography exhibition, celebrating 18 pioneering figures whose careers have helped shape dance music across generations.
The exhibition features ANNA, Annie Mac, Crystal Waters, DJ Minx, DJ Paulette, DJ Rap, Eli & Fur, Honey Dijon, Ida Engberg, Lottie, Lisa Lashes, Maya Jane Coles, Nicole Moudaber, Sam Divine, Sister Bliss, Smokin Jo, Superjane and Ultra Naté.
TSHA, Kitty Amor and Sydney Blu Headline fabric
From 10PM to 3AM, the event moves into fabric’s Main Room for a club programme featuring TSHA, Kitty Amor, Sydney Blu, Emily Nash and N1NJA.
Importantly, the night isn’t simply an extension of the daytime programme. It forms part of Change the Beat’s wider mission to turn conversations around representation into tangible opportunities for artists.
Proceeds from the club event will support the organisation’s international artist development programme, providing education, mentorship and career opportunities for women and gender-expansive artists.
Change the Beat has set a goal of helping 300 artists secure label opportunities by 2028, making the London event another step towards building a more connected and accessible electronic music ecosystem.
With its debut at one of London’s most influential electronic music institutions, Change the Beat is bringing together the people behind the music — artists, labels, agents, managers, promoters and organisations — under one roof.
And for a scene built on constant evolution, creating genuine access to the people who can help shape an artist’s next chapter may be one of the most important conversations happening at fabric this autumn.
Date: Thursday, October 15th
Event Times:
Industry Panels: 3PM – 7PM
Industry Mixer & Photo Exhibition: 7PM – 10PM
Club Night: 10PM – 3A
