Women In Music Org Announces 40th Anniversary 2025 Virtual Summit

Celebrating 40 years of service, Women in Music has announced its annual Virtual Summit, taking place January 15–17, 2025. This three-day global immersive event, includes keynote speaker Martha Earls (Neon Coast), is designed to educate, empower, and advance women and gender-expansive individuals across all facets of the music industry.

Featuring a dynamic lineup of panels, workshops, and breakout sessions, the summit offers a collaborative space for attendees to gain insights from industry leaders, foster meaningful connections, and acquire tools for personal and professional growth. WIM members can register for free, while non-members are invited to purchase tickets and explore membership tiers. Stay tuned for additional announcements. 

Founded in 1985 to help advance women in the music industry, Women in Music (WIM) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. WIM connects thousands of industry professionals across 37 chapters globally, supporting and uplifting women at every stage of their careers, ensuring members are equipped to thrive in an ever-evolving field.

“We are delighted to kick off our 40th year in service to the music industry with our fourth annual WIM Summit as we bring together more of the brightest minds and boldest voices to inspire, educate, and create lasting change,” said Nicole Barsalona, President of Women in Music. “Our goal is to create a transformative experience where attendees make meaningful connections, build their network and safety net, feel empowered in their leadership, and equipped to navigate and shape the future of our industry.”

This year the organization introduced WIM Safe(r) Spaces, a crucial resource and training program aimed at creating safer environments within the industry, which will be featured at the summit along with a broad range of topics pertaining to a diverse audience, from C-Suite leaders to the WIM Collegiate audience. 

The summit will also feature a session focused on the WIM Workplace Initiative, which includes a survey to gather data culminating in 'WIM Best Places to Work' lists that will be published in March 2025. 

The Virtual Summit offers three inspiring days for attendees to expand their knowledge, build meaningful connections, and chart a bold course in the music industry. Sponsored by The MLC and ASCAP, with partner organizations hosting virtual booths including Here For The Music, Mamas In Music, Family Alliance in Music, Moms in Music, and more to be announced.

WIM VIRTUAL SUMMIT SCHEDULE 2025 

Day 1: Educate (Wednesday, January 15)

Kicking off the summit is a day focused on education and career development. Highlights include "Female Founders: From Bootstrapped to Venture-Backed," where attendees will hear from trailblazing entrepreneurs, and "Money Matters," a finance and investing workshop. Sessions geared toward artists and their teams include Artist Services + Management Pros: Strategies for Breaking Through and Turning Followers Into Fans, which will feature tips from content creators and marketers. Hosted rooms in the WIM Community Hub allow participants to dive deeper into specialized topics. The day culminates with an inspiring keynote from a yet-to-be-announced co-founder and COO.

Day 2: Empower (Thursday, January 16)

Centered on empowerment and advocacy, Thursday features sessions with WIM Safe(r) Spaces partners, offering vital training for fostering safer environments within the industry. Workshops include Protecting Your Mental Health in partnership with Backline. care and Empowering Allies in partnership with Here for the Music, addressing what we can do individually and collectively to create safer spaces. A roundtable from the WIM Workplace Initiative, which will name the “WIM Best Places to Work” in March, ties together training and advocacy related to workplace safety and impact. The day's keynote, led by an acclaimed artist manager, Martha Earls from Neon Coast promises to energize attendees with actionable strategies for reclaiming power and redefining success.

 Day 3: Advance (Friday, January 17)

The final day focuses on professional advancement. From a Recruiting Roadmap session with an executive recruiter to a conversation on Job Search Success: Tips for Landing Your Dream Job, the day will address how to navigate layoffs, leverage your network, and chart your path forward. A panel called Making VP moderated by Mandy Gabriel (VP of Film, TV & Advertising at Universal Music Publishing Group), will explore pivotal career transitions with speakers from Kobalt, Tixr, Create Music Group and more to discuss navigating organizational dynamics, mastering strategic thinking and leading with impact.

WIM members can attend at no cost, and non-members are welcome to purchase tickets. Register and purchase tickets [here]. Learn more about membership opportunities.