IMPALA brought its 25th anniversary programme to So Alive Music Conference in Sofia, where members discussed digital markets, copyright and finance for independent music in central and southeastern Europe.
The visit formed part of the association’s #WhyIndependentsMatter programme and included regional meetings, conference panels, mentoring and an anniversary gathering.
Regional markets and royalty collection
Kristiyana Georgieva of ANMIP chaired a meeting of IMPALA’s central and southeastern Europe network. Members discussed:
- Growth in local digital markets.
- Access to finance and music discoverability.
- Charts and copyright.
- Opportunities for closer collaboration.
IMPALA also attended an ANMIP-hosted meeting with members and local collecting society PROPHON, which supports the conference.
That meeting addressed opportunities and challenges in collecting and distributing royalties from public performance and broadcasting.
Ownership, copyright and sustainability
Ruth Barlow of Beggars Group discussed the company’s work, its relationships with artists and her collective industry work, including as chair of the UK association AIM.
Alek Bošković of Sonosuite interviewed Barlow in the session ‘Independence Isn’t a Genre: Who Actually Wins in Today’s Music Industry?’.
IMPALA Chair Dario Draštata of Dallas Records / RUNDA ADRIA moderated ‘Who Owns THIS? AI, Copyright and the Fight for Music’s Future’, a panel addressing artificial intelligence and copyright.
Participants included IMPALA Executive Chair Helen Smith, Alice Oliveira of Partisan Records, Silas Schwarzkopp, artist Sebastian Beresford of The Download Generation, and Manos Dedevesis of Stay Independent / HERMES.
Draštata also chaired a discussion on the music sector’s green transition and the European Union’s GreenBeat Nexus Programme.
IMPALA board member Anca Lupes of INDIERO moderated ‘Making the Impossible: How the World’s Biggest Festivals Shape Global Music’.
Fellow board member and STOMP president Kees van Weijen led a mentoring session for new music executives from Slovenia, Croatia and Bulgaria.
Anniversary programme and sector representation
Music journalist Alan Pedder interviewed Smith about IMPALA’s 25 years, independent ownership and support for diverse music markets across Europe.
The programme also highlighted an interview with Georgieva in IMPALA’s Faces of the Independent Sector series, examining her view of independence and the opportunities and challenges for artists from underrepresented regions.
Anniversary drinks brought members and other music industry participants together at the close of the celebrations.
Established in 2000, IMPALA represents more than 6,000 independent music companies across Europe.
Small, micro and medium businesses and self-releasing artists make up 99% of Europe’s music companies. Independents produce more than 80% of new releases and account for 80% of sector jobs.
IMPALA’s remit includes sustainable sector growth, returning more value to artists, diversity, entrepreneurship, political access and access to finance.
The association runs award schemes and Friends of IMPALA, a programme for businesses seeking a strategic relationship with Europe’s independent sector. It began a new co-funded work programme as a European Union cultural network in 2025.
