PLASA Show presented its 2026 seminar programme, bringing production case studies, technical training and discussions on some of the issues transforming entertainment technology to Olympia London.
Sponsored by Dante for the first time, the programme addressed topics including sustainability, training new professionals, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and the growing convergence of audio, video, lighting and control over network infrastructure.
Over the three days, professionals responsible for live productions, theatres, installations and entertainment technologies shared practical experiences alongside technical and creative sessions on lighting, audio, AV, staging structures and management.
When sharing a single network makes sense
Dante contributed two sessions focusing on the evolution of networking within live productions.
The Economics of Convergence – When Shared Networks Make Sense in Live Sound and When They Don’t examined an increasingly common question in large systems: when integrating audio, video, lighting and control into a single network infrastructure delivers genuine benefits and when it introduces unnecessary costs or complexity.
The second session, 2 Million People, One Network – Dante at Festival Scale, covered tools and workflows for designing and managing networks used both on tours and at large outdoor concerts.
From drones to Eurovision
The case studies provided insight into how productions combining television entertainment, immersive experiences, theatre and large-scale live events are delivered.
John ‘JP’ Partridge of Celestial explained the technical and creative development of some of the UK’s largest drone shows, including projects related to the Titanic and the company’s involvement in Britain’s Got Talent 2026.
Norbert Tripp, global technical director at Area Four Industries, examined the design, engineering and installation of the supporting structure used at the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, from the initial planning stages through to its implementation at the venue.
Another session showed how the television format The Traitors was transformed into a live immersive experience. The project combines lighting, sound and control within a scalable architecture in which the performers themselves can activate technical elements, allowing several areas to be managed simultaneously from a single control position.
Theatre, lighting and new live formats
The programme included a session with lighting designer Aideen Malone, focusing on the creative process and challenges of the current production of Into The Woods.
Vari-Lite pioneers Jim Bornhorst and Tom Littrell reviewed 40 years of the Series 200 and the advances that this generation of fixtures brought to automated lighting.
The National Theatre’s 50th anniversary also provided an opportunity to review five decades of stage technology, from the earliest motorised systems and Lightboard consoles to video projection, LED lighting and today’s Eos control systems.
The Royal Ballet and Opera team explained how it completed a comprehensive upgrade of the Royal Opera House auditorium lighting without closing the venue for a single night.
How Eurovision 2026 sounded
Audio also had its own dedicated session with Douze Points: How The 2026 Eurovision Song Contest Set Triumphant New Standards For Audio.
The session brought together audio professionals responsible for the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna to explain how they simultaneously met the needs of the in-person audience, performers, broadcasters and online viewers, incorporating new procedures and technologies into one of the most complex live productions on the international calendar.
Avatars and new forms of concert
Avatar Advancements – The New Frontier Of Live Performance explored another trend that is beginning to reshape show design.
The session examined the work of Unit1Studio, Brompton Technology, ROE Visual, Woodroffe Bassett Design and sound designer Richard Brooker in developing performances based on avatars and digital environments, combining video, lighting and audio to create new forms of live experience.
Sustainability: moving from discussion to technical decisions
PLASA Show dedicated three discussions specifically to sustainability.
Digital Product Passports – A Headache Or Opportunity For Our Industry examined how new product-information requirements may affect manufacturers and technology companies.
Big Picture – Global Impact On Our Industry broadened the focus to the effects that climate, the international economy, politics and supply chains may have on the industry over the next 25 years.
Meanwhile, Sustainability Reality Check – Where Does Our Industry Really Stand? considered which sustainability measures are producing tangible results, which remain largely statements of intent and the extent to which the sector is fulfilling its public commitments.
AI, cybersecurity and new skills
Artificial intelligence and preparation for the next generation of professionals featured in several sessions.
The programme examined training, skills development, career paths and the difficulties the sector faces in attracting and retaining talent.
Applications of AI beyond image generation and commercial messaging were also explored, including its potential use in creative processes, business operations and product development within the entertainment industry.
Cybersecurity also played an important role. A dedicated session addressed the European Union’s Cyber Resilience Act, its implications for manufacturers and the measures companies should begin adopting regarding regulatory compliance and the secure design of connected products.
The main programme featured contributions from exhibiting companies including ETC, d&b, Artistic Licence, PROLYTE, Robe, Polar Audio and Visualisation. Participating organisations included AVIXA, Backup Tech, The Power of Events, Bectu, ALPD, ASDP, WIL, HSE and HELA, among others.
Technology that could also be heard and tested
Outside the seminar rooms, PLASA Show featured demonstration areas dedicated to audio, AV and projection, with contributions from AbsenLive, Barco, KV2 Audio, RCF and TT+ Audio.
ChamSys also organised pre-booked training sessions on 6 and 7 September, focusing on programming with MagicQ, MediaMaster 26, advanced show-file management and meetings with guest lighting designers.
Access to the demonstration rooms was unrestricted, while advance registration was required for the training sessions.
Session information and visit planning
All seminars were included with PLASA Show 2026 admission and operated on a first-come, first-served basis until capacity was reached. The official PLASA Show app allowed visitors to view the programme and save selected sessions when planning their visit.
