From the outside, AMPLIFY: Where Music Speaks Truth might look like another industry event—but step a little closer, and it becomes clear: this isn’t about panels for the sake of panels or conversations that disappear as soon as the room empties. This is more about a moment when the right people come together in one room all focused on a single question: how do we actually build a music ecosystem that works for Wales?. The event is happening on 19 March 2026 at the Pierhead Main Hall in Senedd Cymru, Cardiff Bay, and honestly, it’s shaping up to be one of those gatherings that means something beyond the day itself.
AMPLIFY isn’t about long talks that sound nice but don’t go anywhere, or panels where everyone agrees and nothing really changes. It’s much more intentional. It’s about bringing artists, policymakers, industry people, cultural organisers, funders, everyone who plays a role in music in Wales into the same space to have real, honest conversations about what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to change.
The event is hosted by Afrowales in partnership with OTID Entertainment, and it also marks the launch of the Wales Civic Music Network. That might sound technical, but the idea behind it is actually very simple: people in music are often trying to solve the same problems, just separately. This network is about bringing those efforts together, making things more connected, and turning real experiences into real solutions that actually make sense for Wales.
Because here’s the thing—Wales is not short on talent. Not at all. The issue has never been creativity. It’s been structure. It’s been access. It’s been having clear, sustainable pathways that allow artists to build proper careers without feeling like they have to leave or struggle endlessly to be seen. AMPLIFY is really trying to sit with that truth and do something about it.
The conversations on the day are focused, not vague. They’re looking at how to create better career pathways for artists, how to improve visibility and representation for Welsh talent, how to support touring and live music spaces, and how to make the industry more accessible—especially for young people across Wales. These are real issues that affect real people, and the tone of the event reflects that. It’s not about theory, it’s about reality.
One of the things that makes AMPLIFY stand out is how it’s structured. Instead of just talking at people, it’s built around smaller, facilitated discussions—policy roundtables where people actually have to engage, contribute, and think through solutions together. It’s less about sounding smart and more about being useful. Less performance, more participation.
The people leading it, Osamagbe (Osama) Izevbigie and Oluwafunbi Mafoluku, clearly understand that balance. There’s a strong sense that this isn’t coming from a distant, corporate place, it’s coming from people who actually understand what it feels like to be in the system, trying to make things work. Osama puts it plainly: the talent is there, what’s missing are the pathways. And Funbi’s point hits just as hard—too many people are working toward the same goals, just not together. AMPLIFY is trying to fix that disconnect.
On the day, from 12 PM to 2:30 PM, the room is going to be filled with a mix of voices that don’t always get to meet like this. Artists sitting with decision-makers. Grassroots organisers in conversation with industry leaders. People from Wales and beyond, all bringing different perspectives but circling the same questions. There’ll be keynote moments, open discussions, and space to actually connect in a way that feels real, not forced. It’s also designed to be inclusive, with bilingual elements and access support built in, so it’s not just open in theory, but in practice too.
And importantly, it doesn’t end when people leave the room. Everything that comes out of AMPLIFY will be captured and turned into something tangible—a post-event summary that feeds into ongoing work through the Wales Civic Music Network. So the ideas don’t just disappear, they continue, they build, they hopefully turn into action.
At its heart, AMPLIFY feels like a shift. A quiet one, but an important one. It’s not trying to be flashy or overhyped. It’s just trying to be real. To create a space where people can be honest, where different parts of the industry can finally align, and where music isn’t just something we celebrate—but something we actively support, properly and sustainably.
And maybe that’s what makes it so exciting. It’s not just about music speaking truth. It’s about people actually listening—and deciding to do something with what they hear.
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Written by Angel Joanne Okonkwo
