PLASA Focus 2026 took place on 12–13 May at the Royal Armouries in Leeds, bringing together professionals from the live entertainment technology sector to discover the latest industry developments, attend training sessions and participate in professional networking and discussions.
This year’s expanded edition welcomed 2,909 attendees, including 2,311 visitors and 598 exhibitor personnel. Overall visitor numbers increased by 2% and exhibitor attendance rose by 3% compared to 2025. Across both days, the event recorded 3,658 visits, with many attendees returning for both days.
The event continued to attract a broad range of decision-makers, technical professionals, creatives, students, freelancers and business leaders. Directors, owners and chairpersons accounted for 16.8% of attendees, while 37.3% held final purchasing responsibility. Students represented 13% of the audience, reflecting the event’s growing role in supporting the next generation of industry talent.
Sectors represented included live events, theatre and performing arts, concert touring, festivals, corporate events, commercial AV, venues, education, broadcast and installations.
Visitor interests were also evenly distributed across key technology areas, including audio, lighting, AV/video, rigging, stage engineering and power.
PLASA Focus Leeds has always been about creating a space where people can genuinely connect, have meaningful conversations and experience first-hand the technology shaping our industry. This year’s expansion allowed us to welcome more exhibitors and features while maintaining the focused and friendly atmosphere that makes Leeds so special. The quality of attendance, engagement across the show floor, and response from students and early-career professionals demonstrate the continuing importance of this event, said Sophie Atkinson, Head of Events at PLASA.
A larger exhibition floor packed with new developments
In 2026, PLASA Focus expanded further within the Royal Armouries, welcoming 211 exhibitors across lighting, audio, AV, rigging, staging, power, control, production services and more.
The exhibition floor remained true to the Focus format, combining practical access to new technologies with a relaxed and easy-to-navigate environment. This year featured a strong line-up of UK debuts and product launches across lighting, audio, rigging, control and connectivity.
Highlighted products included Roxx’s Icon series (UK debut), Ayrton’s MagicBlade Neo, Claypaky’s Arolla Aqua fixtures, Chauvet’s COLORado PXL Curve 1, HH Audio’s TNi-WX loudspeakers, Neutrik’s True1 Data Connector Series, d&b audiotechnik’s U-Series speakers, ChamSys’ MediaMaster 26, RCF’s EVOX J9 and J11, Robe’s GigaPointe and EM Acoustics’ CS Series cardioid subwoofers.
Manufacturers, distributors, suppliers and service providers were able to meet directly with visitors, compare products across disciplines and discuss real-world applications with the people behind the technologies.
Exhibitor perspectives
- “Every year PLASA Focus Leeds exceeds expectations with the quality of visitors, and this year was no exception. As always, the heart of PLASA is the people: reconnecting with old friends and creating new connections”, Bernie Marsh, Business Development Manager, Prolight Concepts Group.
- “PLASA Focus Leeds 2026 was a fantastic show for Penn Elcom. It was great to reconnect with so many familiar faces from across the industry while also meeting numerous new customers”, Paulina Parda, Sales Support, Penn Elcom.
- “PLASA Focus Leeds was once again a fantastic event for us this year. It remains an important meeting point for the industry, bringing together manufacturers, partners, customers and friends in a relaxed and positive atmosphere”, Eva Gerlach, CEO, Indu-Electric.
- “With UK operations having been handled from Harrogate since KV2 Audio’s inception, PLASA Focus on our home turf is always valuable and an important part of our calendar”, Tom Weldon, UK Sales Manager, KV2 Audio.
PLASA Focus 2026 was once again supported by headline sponsor Ambersphere Solutions, alongside IPS (café sponsor), LANG UK (courtyard sponsor), AV Matrix (video sponsor) and Leisuretec (lanyard sponsor).
Official sponsors for 2026 included Adamson Systems Engineering, BeamZ, Disney Cruise Line, HH Audio, IPS, Link UK Solutions, PixelLogic Solutions and RCF.
New initiatives bring fresh energy
Among the new additions was Speed Networking, which made its Leeds debut following its successful introduction in London. Developed in collaboration with The Power of Events, Production Futures and Access Industry, the initiative provided students, freelancers and early-career professionals with a structured opportunity to meet people working across lighting, audio, AV, rigging, staging and live production.
LANG UK also presented its Road to PLASA experience in the outdoor courtyard, featuring a dedicated demonstration truck designed to showcase advanced video switching and compositing workflows in a mobile environment.
Meanwhile, EM Acoustics hosted a dedicated audio demonstration room, while KV2 Audio returned with its popular audio demos and ChamSys delivered hands-on lighting control training.
Learning, training and industry insight
Sponsored by LSi, the PLASA Focus seminar programme offered a broad mix of technical content, career guidance, business insights and discussions about the future of the sector.
Sessions covered topics including technical skills development, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, sustainability, freelancing, employment law, funding, career pathways and industry best practice.
Visitors praise the Focus format
Feedback from attendees once again highlighted the event’s accessible scale, networking value and strong sense of community.
- “PLASA Focus Leeds is always a pleasure to visit. Its friendly and relaxed atmosphere makes it the perfect place to network and discover current industry trends and topics”.
- “Focus is the perfect name for this event, offering a more personal and interactive approach than larger exhibitions while remaining an outstanding opportunity to connect with the people behind the products”.
- “PLASA Focus provided a genuine community experience where we could discuss, debate and collaborate on the industry’s key topics”.
- “Once again, PLASA Focus lived up to its reputation as the friendliest show in the industry”.
- “PLASA Focus in Leeds is one of the best networking events in the industry calendar for me. It always rewards a visit”.
Supporting emerging talent
The 2026 audience included a strong presence of students and early-career professionals, who accounted for 13% of total attendees.
PLASA Focus Leeds gave me a great opportunity to connect with some of the biggest companies in the industry and explore employment opportunities after university. Everyone was willing to answer my questions and provide guidance and opportunities to support my professional development, commented Callum Foy.
“It was a brilliant show! I saw so much new equipment and learned a great deal as a student. The variety of technology on display was huge. I will definitely be attending next year”, said William Biker. Meanwhile, Rummanah Promi added: “It is a perfect place to network and speak with industry professionals willing to help... and leave the event feeling confident about the next steps in my professional future”.
Strong engagement with the official app
The official PLASA Focus app continued to enhance the visitor experience, particularly across the expanded venue.
In 2026, it recorded 2,023 unique logins, representing approximately 70% of all attendees. It also generated 513,364 impressions and 5,019 bookmarks, helping visitors browse exhibitors, save sessions, plan schedules and navigate the event more efficiently.
PLASA Focus will return to the Royal Armouries in Leeds on 11–12 May 2027, continuing its role as one of the UK’s most focused, practical and welcoming meeting points for the live entertainment technology sector.
