#FIRSTLOOK: THE DEPARTURE FESTIVAL + CONFERENCE 2026 FIRST ROUND OF GUESTS

The Departure Festival + Conference from Loft Entertainment and Oak View Group (OVG) today announces the first round of guests and artists joining their 2026 edition. Building on a successful inaugural year, Departure 2026 is a premier destination for music, media, technology, and culture, uniting artists, industry leaders, and audiences from Canada and around the world. As a dynamic and innovative launchpad for new talent and groundbreaking work, Departure celebrates creatives from all artistic disciplines. Departure Festival + Conference takes place May 4-10, 2026 in Toronto.

New for 2026, the Departure Conference will move into the heart of downtown Toronto, with transit-accessible venues in a new walkable footprint. The St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts and the historic Fairmont Royal York will serve as the main stages and central hub for keynote sessions — offering a meaningful nod to Departure’s roots as Canadian Music Week, which operated out of the landmark hotel for many years. The campus will also debut Departure House at Transmission Studios as an innovative pop-up destination for immersive brand activations and specialized programming.

The Conference will welcome some of the most influential voices in the industry including recognized comedian Russell Peters, music legend and Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman, and Grammy-nominated songwriter Jenna Andrews who has written hits for BTS and most recently for KPop Demon Hunters and was featured on Netflix’s Hitmakers, among other guests. Departure Festival will once again feature curated music showcases, exclusive premium music shows, comedy, film & TV and interactive pop-ups in various venues across the city. Highlights include an exclusive 10th anniversary Massey Hall show from platinum-selling indie trio Wild Rivers, celebrating the release of their self-titled debut album, Tommy Genesis at The Great Hall, and the return of the SiriusXM Spotlight Series taking over The Mod Club with Canadian artists Katie Tupper, Sacha, Chxrry, and Jev, and the returning SOCAN Songwriters Series.

Departure Honours presented by Ticketmaster also returns this year, celebrating notable changemakers and groundbreaking achievements within the cultural landscape. Music icon Sarah McLachlan will be awarded the Allan Slaight Humanitarian Award presented by Slaight Music, Golden Globe-winner and visionary force behind KPop Demon Hunters, Maggie Kang will receive the Cultural Innovator Award, the creative mastermind behind numerous acclaimed films and shows, including the massive global hit Heated Rivalry, Jacob Tierney will receive the Creative Impact Award, and influential literary star Rupi Kaur will receive the Independent Achievement Award, with additional honourees to be announced. Rupi will also headline a special event at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre the evening prior. Additionally, Departure will once again host the Live Music Awards, presented in partnership with the Canadian Live Music Association.

“After an incredible inaugural year, we’re excited to build on that momentum with a 2026 edition that’s bigger, bolder, and even more connected to the city,” said Kevin Barton, Executive Producer at Departure Festival + Conference. “Welcoming influential voices to new, vibrant spaces in the heart of downtown Toronto, Departure continues to evolve where music, culture, and emerging creative fields collide. This is just the beginning, with more exciting announcements still to come.”

“Departure has firmly established itself as a cornerstone of Canada’s cultural calendar,” said Tom Pistore, President of Oak View Group Canada. “The 2026 edition continues to champion artistic innovation, bringing together boundary-pushing creators and ideas. We’re proud to support a platform that not only showcases world-class talent, but also encourages inspiration, collaboration, and passion across the global creative community.”

See below for the programming lineup to date, with additional names to be announced. Programming for Departure is led by Pat Murphy who moves into a new position as Executive Director.

Priority and Conference Passes are on sale now at departureto.com.

DEPARTURE CONFERENCE (LINEUP TO DATE):
The 2026 Departure Conference will feature forward-thinking voices from across music, live entertainment, media, health, and culture.

Speakers include:

Amber Grimes (Executive Vice President and General Manager, LVRN Records)

Dr. Chayin Newman (Co-founder, Amber Health)

Daniel Turcotte (President, Monstercat)

Deep Jandu (Producer, Recording Artist)

Eric Nguyen (SVP, Create Music Group)

Erika Savage (Music Attorney, King Holmes Paterno & Soriano, LLP, Former Head of Legal, Interscope)

Gus Canazio (SVP Booking, Rock World (Rock in Rio, The Town, Lollapalooza Brazil))

Jenna Andrews (Grammy-nominated songwriter, KPop Demon Hunters, Netflix’s Hitmakers)

Kevin Johnson (CEO, WPP Media Canada)

Kevin Lyman (Founder, Vans Warped Tour)

Maggie Kang (creator, co-director, co-writer, KPop Demon Hunters)

Russell Peters (award-winning comedian and DJ)

Whipped Cream (DJ and record producer)

RADIODAYS NORTH AMERICA (LINEUP TO DATE):
Radiodays North America returns to Departure with enhanced conference tracks and specialized programming designed for radio, broadcasting, and audio professionals.

Guests include:

Alan Cross (host, podcaster, Uncharted: Crime and Mayhem in the Music Industry, Ongoing History of New Music)

Amy Goodman (broadcaster, investigative journalist and author)

Ben Mulroney (recognized TV, radio, and podcast host)

Craig Bruce (radio broadcaster, podcaster, media strategist)

Tom Webster (Partner at Sounds Profitable)

Vicky Eatrides (Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC))

DEPARTURE FESTIVAL (LINEUP TO DATE):
Departure’s Festival program will once again showcase world-class performances across Toronto’s most iconic venues.

Performers include:

Logan Staats | Horseshoe Tavern | May 6

An Evening with Rupi Kaur | Queen Elizabeth Theatre | May 6

Tommy Genesis | The Great Hall | May 6

SOCAN Songwriter Series | Jane Mallet Theatre | May 6, 7, 8

SiriusXM Spotlight Series: Katie Tupper | The Mod Club | May 7

SiriusXM Spotlight Series: Sacha | The Mod Club | May 8

SiriusXM Spotlight Series: Chxrry | The Mod Club | May 9

SiriusXM Spotlight Series: Jev | The Mod Club | May 9

Wild Rivers | Massey Hall | May 9 *Celebrating the 10th anniversary of their self-titled debut album

Artist applications for Departure Showcases close at 11:59pm ET on Friday, January 23 (click here to apply).

DEPARTURE HONOURS PRESENTED BY TICKETMASTER:
The Departure Honours will return as an exclusive, star-studded celebration recognizing individuals who have shaped Canada’s cultural landscape.

Honourees include:

Jacob Tierney will receive the Creative Impact Award, given to an artist who’s made a major impact on a global scale – from Letterkenny and Shoresy to the now global phenomenon of Heated Rivalry.

Maggie Kang will be presented the Cultural Innovator Award recognizing the global impact of KPop Demon Hunters.

Rupi Kaur will receive the Independent Achievement Award, for her global success as a poet, artist, and self-published #1 New York Times bestselling author.

Sarah McLachlan will be honoured with the Allan Slaight Humanitarian Award presented by Slaight Music. Departure and Slaight Music will donate $25,000 to the Sarah McLachlan School of Music.

Additional honourees will be announced.

Departure Honours will take place Thursday, May 7 at Koerner Hall. Limited tickets for the event will go on sale in February, with Departure passholders receiving exclusive early access.

LIVE MUSIC AWARDS:
Presented in association with the Canadian Live Music Association, the Live Music Awards celebrates the ingenuity, perseverance, and excellence demonstrated by live music companies, individuals, and organizations over the previous year. The awards will take place Wednesday, May 6 at the Bluma Appel Theatre. Tickets and nominations will open February 2, with exclusive discounts available for Departure passholders and members of the Canadian Live Music Association.

Additional artist announcements, conference programming, and special events will be revealed in the coming weeks. For tickets, passes and more information, visit departureto.com.

About Loft Entertainment
Loft Entertainment invests in culture-defining talent and creative partners to tell their stories. Founded by industry veteran Randy Lennox in Summer 2023, Loft offers the world’s leading artists creative, strategic and business services across all artistic and commercial touchpoints in the music, film and media. Visit loftent.com.

About Oak View Group
Oak View Group (OVG) is the global leader in live experience venue development, management, premium hospitality services, and 360-degree solutions for a collection of world-class-owned venues and a client roster of arenas, stadiums, convention centers, music festivals, performing arts centers, and cultural institutions. Founded by Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff in 2015, OVG is the leading developer of major new venues either open or under development across four continents. Visit OakViewGroup.com, and follow OVG on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.